HOUSE-SPARROW. 63 
PASSER DOMESTICUS. 
HOUSE-SPARROW. 
(Puate 13.) 
Passer domesticus, Briss. Orn. iii. p. 72 (1760); et auctorum plurimorum— 
(Gmelin), (Scopolt), (Latham), (Temminck), Degland § Gerbe, (Naumann), 
Dresser, Newton, &c. 
Fringilla domestica, Zinn. Syst. Nat, i. p. 825 (1766), 
Pyrgita domestica (Brvss.), Bove, Ists, 1822, p. 554. 
Passer tingitanus, Bonap. Cat. Parzud. p. 18 (1856). 
The House-Sparrow is certainly the best known, the most widely distri- 
buted, and the most closely attached to man of all our British birds. 
Almost without exception it is commonly distributed throughout the 
British Islands, only being absent from certain isolated places in the High- 
lands, the bare and rocky islands of Scotland, and one or two similar 
places in Ireland, As is generally known, the House-Sparrow is by far the 
commonest in the most populous districts, and as the wilder localities are 
brought under cultivation the Sparrow soon follows—as, for instance, in 
the Outer Hebrides where, half a century ago, the bird was unknown, but 
has now firmly established itself. 
The House-Sparrow is distributed over the whole of Europe (up to, and 
occasionally beyond, the Arctic circle), with the exception of Sicily, Sar- 
dinia, and Malta (where it is replaced by Passer hispaniolensis, which is 
also found in Spain, Asia Minor, Egypt, Nubia, and Algeria, together with 
our bird, the latter being chiefly confined to the towns), and of Ltaly, 
Corsica, and the Southern Tyrol, in which latter countries it is replaced 
by P. italie. Both these species may be easily distinguished by having 
the crown of the head chestnut instead of ash-grey. In Asia the Sparrow 
extends as far as the sources of the Amoor, but does not appear to be 
found in the valley of the Lena, further east in Siberia, or in Japan 
and China, although it is found throughout India and the Burmah 
peninsula. 
Examples from South Persia, Afghanistan, Beluchistan, India, and 
Burmah are slightly paler and more brilliant in colour, and haye the ear- 
coverts white stead of ashy grey. They have been described as a distinct 
species under the name of Passer indicus. ‘This form must, however, be 
considered only subspecifically distinct from that of Europe and North 
Asia, inasmuch as the Sparrows of the Caucasus, North Persia, and Tur- 
kestan are intermediate in colour. 
The range of the House-Sparrow has been artificially increased to a very 
