250 PASSER SIMPLEX. 



thickly blotched and mottled with various shades of brown and 

 lavender. They average 0*75 x 0*58. They are hatched at 

 the end of twelve days. The young remain in the nest for 

 about twenty-four days, during which time they are fed on 

 grubs, caterjoillars, and partially digested food from the crops 

 of the old birds." 



According to Mr. Haagner their eggs vary greatly, some 

 being " almost black in colour, owing to the profusion and 

 darkness of the blotches, and others from the same nest 

 almost white, the blotches being very light coloured and 

 sparsely distributed." He further observes that the eggs of 

 GhrDSOcoccyx cupreus are known to be generally deposited in the 

 nests of these Sparrows. 



Passer simplex. 



Fringilla simplex, Licht. Verz. Doubl. p. 24 (1823) Ambiikohl. 



Passer simplex, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xii. p. 339 (1888) ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. 



No. 266 (1896) ; Kcenig, J. f. 0. 1896, pi. 7, fig. 10, eggs; Nehrkorn, 



Kat. Eiers. p. 109 (1899) egg. 

 Passer lichtensteini, Heugl. J. f. 0. 1868, p. 88 S. Nubia. 



Adult male. General plumage uniform creamy buff very slightly tinged 

 with ash on the crown and mantle. Wing : least coverts like the back ; 

 median coverts pure white ; greater coverts dusky black, with very broad 

 ■white terminal margins ; primary coverts dusky black with obsolete white 

 edges ; quills dusky buff shading into dusky brown at the ends, and with 

 both webs edged with white, slightly shaded with isabelline on the outer 

 webs of the secondaries. Tail pale dusky brown, darker towards the ends 

 of the feathers, all of which are surrounded by buff edges, much broader on 

 the centre feathers. Sides of forehead, feathers in front of the eye, and 

 a few above the ear-coverts dusky black ; cheek, ear-coverts and sides of 

 throat pure white ; chin and throat black. " Iris dark brown ; bill white 

 at base, clear brownish at the point and on the sides ; feet yellowish." 

 Total length 5-2 inches, culmen 0-45, wing 3-0, tail 2-2, tarsus 0-8. Algeria 

 (Locke). 



Adult female. Differs from the male in having no black on the head and 

 neck, and the general colouring of the upper parts isabelline. 



The Desert Sparrow ranges from Kordofan into the Libyan 

 and Sahara deserts. 



