PASSER MONTANUS. 237 



as the Blue Nile, and was met with on the Arabian coast at 

 Djidda, but I find no more recent mention of the Italian 

 Sparrow from the Ethiopian Region. 



Passer montanus. 



Pringilla montana, Linn. S. N. I. p. 324 (1766). 



Passer montanus, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xii. p. 301 (1888) ; Hartert, Kat. 



Vog. Mus. Senck. p. 60 (1891) Eonhfan ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 



256 (1896). 



Adult male. Forehead, crown and nape uniform vinous chocolate ; 

 mantle pale rufous brown with broad black shaft-stripes; remainder of 

 back, upper tail coverts and the tail uniform brown, the feathers of the 

 latter with narrow paler outer edges. Wings darker brown with the lesser 

 coverts rufous, median-coverts black with broad white terminal margins, 

 remainder of the feathers with pale rufous brown edges fading into white 

 terminal marks on the greater coverts ; under surface of quills brown with 

 their inner margins whitish like the axillaries and under wing-coverts. 

 Fore part of sides of head, feathers beneath the eye, a large portion of the 

 ear-coverts, chin and a broad band down the throat jet black ; remainder of 

 sides of head, sides of upper neck and sides of throat white ; breast and 

 under tail-coverts ashy white, slightly paler down the centre and tinted 

 with brown on the flanks and thighs. Iris brown ; bill black ; tarsi and feet 

 pale brown. Total length 5-5 inches, culmen 0-4, wing 2-8, tail 2-1, tarsus 

 0-7. (? , 6. 5. 80. Havre (E. Hargitt). 



Adult female. Like the male. 



The Tree- Sparrow ranges from North-east Africa over the 

 greater portion of Europe and Asia, eastward into Japan. 



The right this species has to be included in the Ethiopian 

 fauna rests on a specimen in Rilppell's collection, nominally 

 from Kordofan. 



I may remark, as a hint to future travellers, that I have 

 not seen a specimen of P. montaiiu.'i, P. italise or typical 

 P. domesticus, Linn., from Africa south of the Tropic of Cancer, 

 and specimens of any of these sparrows would, I feel sure, be 

 appreciated at the British Museum. 



