FRINGILLIN^. 



171 



THE HOUSE-SPARROW. 



Passer domesticus (Linnceus). 



The House-Sparrow is generally distributed throughout Great 

 Britain and Ireland wherever human habitations are to be found, 

 except near some of the high moorland farm-houses and a few of 

 the most elevated villages. In proportion as land is brought under 

 cultivation, the Sparrow makes its appearance and rapidly increases, 

 so that it is now established in the Outer Hebrides and other places 

 where it was formerly unknown. As yet it does not appear to 

 have reached the Faroes, but in Scandinavia it occurs, in suitable 

 localities, up to and a little beyond the Arctic circle ; while east- 

 ward, we trace it across Russia, and along the inhabited portions of 

 Siberia to Irkutsk ; but not to China or Jajxin. A smaller and 

 paler race (known as P. vidiciis, but not considered by the best 

 authorities as entitled to specific distinction) inhabits Siam, Burma 

 and the Indian region, as far west as Southern Persia ; thence 

 gradations lead back to the typical bird, which is found almost 

 all over Europe where grain will grow. In Italy, and on the 

 island of Corsica, the rej^resentative species is P. italite, the male of 

 which has the crown chestnut instead of grey ; but although this 

 species has been found for a considerable distance up the Brenner 

 Pass, it has not yet infringed upon the territory of our bird, which, 

 on the northern side, reaches Innsbruck. In Sardinia, Sicilv and 



