PASSER. SPARROW. 339 



the short, broad, nasal depression, and concealed by the reflect- 

 ed feathers. Eyes of moderate size ; eyelids feathered, their 

 edges bare and crenate. External aperture of ears large, oval. 



Head rather large, oblong, the forehead rather flat ; neck 

 short ; body ovate, of nearly equal breadth and depth. Legs 

 short ; tarsus compressed, covered anteriorly with seven scu- 

 tella, posteriorly with a long plate forming a sharp edge, and in- 

 ferior rugae. Toes slender, compressed, covered above with few 

 large scutella, granulate and narrow beneath ; the second and 

 fourth equal, the first a little shorter, the third much longer, 

 and united to the fourth as far as the second joint of the latter. 

 Claws rather long, arched, deep, much compressed, laterally 

 grooved, acute. 



Plumage blended, softish, rather compact above, slightly 

 glossed, the feathers ovate, rather acuminate, with a very 

 slender plumule of a few long barbs ; those at the base of the 

 bill with short bristle-points. Wing broad, semicordate, rather 

 short, primary quills ten, secondary seven, the three outer quills 

 nearly equal, but the third longest. Tail rather short, or of 

 moderate length, slightly emarginate, of twelve feathers, the 

 lateral slightly bent outwards. 



The genus Passer is so intimately allied to the genera Frin- 

 gilla and Linaria, as to present only rather nice distinctions. 

 The species are all of small size, compact, less gayly attired 

 than the Finches, and having a somewhat less rapid flight. 

 Two species only occur in Britain, the Common or House 

 Sparrow, P. domesticus, and the Tree Sparrow, P. montanus^ 

 the former generally distributed, the latter confined chiefly to 

 some of the midland and northern counties of England, 



