480 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
474, Passmr pirrusus, Smith. Southern Grey-headed Sparrow. 
Passer diffusus and P. simplex, Layard, B. 8. Afr. pp. 204, 205. 
The Grey-headed Sparrows are peculiar to Africa, where there 
appear to be three species, or races, viz., the present one from 
South Africa, P. simplex, of West Africa, and P. swainsoni from 
the North-eastern part of the continent. Sir Andrew Smith found 
it inhabiting the country between the Orange River and the tropic. 
Mr. Ayres has found it in the Transvaal during his visit to the bush, 
though but sparsely; he says that “it feeds upon grass seeds, and 
that its note resembles the ‘chissick’ of the English Sparrow.” 
Mr. Frank Oates procured it on the Crocodile River in July, in 
cultivated fields. 
Mr. Andersson says that he “ met with this species very sparingly 
in Damara Land, but found it pretty common on approaching the 
River Okavango ; it frequents the water in the morning and evening, 
and feeds on seeds and berries. In Angola it is, as stated by 
Professor Barboza du Bocage, widely spread, as he cites specimens 
procured by Senor Anchieta and other collectors at Cabinda on the 
Loango coast, Loanda, Ambaca, and Humbe, and also at Catumbella. 
At Humbe the bird is called, according to Senor Anchieta, Hmbolio 
and Ximbolio. 
Head and neck dull rusty-grey; interscapulars brown, washed 
with grey; wing coverts, back, and rump, dark chestnut-brown, 
some of the coverts tipped with white, which form one or two 
oblique bands on the wings; chin, throat, breast, and flanks pale 
grey-brown ; belly and vent rusty white; quills and tail dark brown. 
Length, 5’ 9”’. 
“Tn some specimens of this bird the bill is quite black, in others 
pale greyish-brown, with yellow near the base of the lower mandible ; 
the legs and toes are pale greyish-brown” (Andersson). 
475, Passer movirensis, Smith. Greater South African Sparrow. 
Sir Andrew Smith only procured two specimens of this fine 
Sparrow, “both about sixty miles north of the Orange River. 
When they were killed they were on the ground actively employed 
picking up seeds which had fallen from the shrubs among which 
they were moving.” The late Mr. Frank Oates met with it at Tati, 
and again on the Palatswe River. Mr. Andersson writes: ‘“ This 
