SPARROWS 149 



numbers at eventide. It is largely a seedeater, but may 

 sometimes eat soft fruit, such as figs. We have also seen it 

 picking out the seeds from the ripening heads of the sunflower. 

 Amongst the Ploceidae, Alaudidae and Nectarinidae, there 

 are songsters of various qualifications, but we will deal with 

 them under other headings. 



SPARROWS 



The Sparrows are not a large group in South Africa ; 

 although useful at times, they are often very destructive. 

 First in order of classification comes the Diamond Sparrow 

 (Petronia swpersiliaris) bearing the most inappropriate name 

 of " Bock " Sparrow in the text-books. Mr. Ivy informs me 

 it is fairly common in the Albany District, assembling in 

 small flocks amongst the high trees around Grahamstown 

 during the winter months. In summer it resorts to the high 

 Bushveld, where it constantly affects the branches of decay- 

 ing trees. In the Pretoria Bushveld it is also common 

 at times. As already stated, the name is a misnomer, as 

 it is a true arboreal bird, seldom alighting on the ground 

 except when tempted by grain, which it readily eats, 

 although principally insectivorous. We have so far only 

 noticed it nesting in hollow trees or posts, and have not 

 found or heard of an authentic case of a nest being found in 

 a hole in a krantz or in a wall. 



It devours a fairly large quantity of insects and weed 

 seeds, thus doing a certain amount of good to agriculture. 



The Diamond Sparrow is a drabish-brown bird with a 

 broad greyish eyebrow, and a yellow spot on the chest 

 which is bright and distinct in some individuals, more 

 obscure and paler in others. Length, 6| inches. It lays 

 three or four grey eggs mottled with slatey-brown. 



The Cape Sparrow (Passer melanurus), or Mossie, is the 



