HOUSE-SPARROW. 



97 



The whole length is about six inches and a quarter ; that 

 of the wing, three inches : the second, third and fourth 

 primaries nearly equal, but the fourth rather the longest ; 

 the fifth a little shorter than any of them, and a good deal 

 longer than the sixth. 



In autumn and winter the grey and chestnut-brown of the 

 head are almost hidden, and the colours of the upper parts 

 generally obscured, by the long wood-brown edges of the 

 feathers, while from the same cause the white of the cheeks 

 and lower parts is much suffused with dull mouse -colour, 

 and the black of the throat interrupted by dirty white. 



The female has the bill brown ; the head and neck of an 

 almost uniform brown with a stripe of pale, dull buff running 

 backwards from each eye ; the feathers on the back and wings 

 are edged with dull buff; the white bar on the wing is tinged 

 with ochreous ; chin, throat, breast and all the lower 

 surface pale wood-brown, rather darker on the sides and 

 flanks. 



The vignette represents a common way of catching birds, 

 especially Sparrows, at night and usually known as " Bat- 

 fowling." 



VOL. II. 



