260 PETRONIA. 



Adult male. Entire plumage, with the exception of the wings and tail, 

 bright canary yellow. Lesser, median and greater-coverts, as well as the 

 under-coverts of the wing yellow, slightly whiter than the body ; primary 

 coverts, quills and tail-feathers dusky brown with broadish pale edges of 

 brownish buff ; a partial grey tinge on the wings. Iris brown ; bill and legs 

 pale brown. Total length 4-8 inches, culmen 0'35, wing 2-3, tail 2-0, tarsus 

 0-65. c? , 15. 3. 95. El Khawi (Yerbury). 



Adtill female. Differs in the upper parts being pale brown where they 

 are yellow in the adult males ; mantle with a few obscure dark streaks ; 

 under-parts and sides of head buff, slightly browner on the ear-coverts and 

 with a partial faint tinge of yellow on the throat ; under wing-coverts buff. 

 Total length 4-4 inches, culmen OSS, wing 2-3, tail 2-0, tarsus 0-65. ? , 

 2. 10. 99. El Khawi (Percival and Dodsonj. 



Immature male. Exactly like the adult female, with the exception of the 

 forehead being yellowish white. $ , juv. 4. 10. 99. El Khawi. 



The Arabian Grolden Sparrow inhabits Arabia and Eastern 

 Abyssinia. 



All that I know regarding the occurrence of this species 

 in Africa, is that one of Hemprich and Bhrenberg's types, 

 in the Berlin Museum, is labelled as coming from Eastern 

 Abyssinia, and the type of Frmgilla albeola, nominally from 

 S. Africa, must have been a cage-bird, if the locality is correct. 



Its true home is Southern Arabia, here Mr. Hawker shot 

 one in company with a flock of P. dumesticus near Lahej, 

 where it is very common according to Colonel Yerbury, who 

 further writes : " One or more big flocks have established 

 themselves now in Aden itself, breeding in the thorny trees at 

 the tanks and alongside the gaol wall. They are gregarious 

 and build a thick nest of thorny twigs." 



Genus VII. PETRONIA. 



Very similar to Passer in general structure, but is characterised by the 

 nostrils being exposed and the wings more lengthened. A yellow patch at 

 the base of the throat is a useful character for distinguishing members of 



this genus. 



Type. 



Petronia, Kaup. Naturl. Syst. p. 158 (1829) P. petronia. 



Xanthodira, Sundev. CEfv. K. Vet. Ak. Forh. Stockh. 1850, 



p. 127 P. dentata. 



