158 SPOLIA ZEYLANIOA. 



secondary quills brown with bujBE margins and tips ; primaries 

 darker brown with narrow buff margins ; primary coverts 

 black ; chin dull white ; a rich yellow spot on the throat ; the 

 sides of the head and neck and the breast pale ashy-brown ; 

 rest of lower parts ashy-white, darker on the flanks. 



In females the throat spot is paler yellow and the shoulder 

 patch is rufous-brown, not cinnamon-red. 



Bill, of males, generally black in winter, brown in summer ; 

 of females always brown ; iris dark brown ; legs and feet 

 dusky-bluish. 



Length 5*5; wing 3*2; tail 2 ' 1 ; tarsus • 6 ; bill from 

 gape "6. 



Distribution. — A mere straggler to Ceylon, only once recorded. 

 Legge came across a flock near Madampe in the ChUaw 

 District in October, 1876, and secured two specimens. It 

 occurs over the greater part of India and ranges into Persia. 



Habits. — This species goes about in small parties, or occa- 

 sionally during the winter, in larger flocks. It may be looked 

 for in thin jungle, open country bordered with trees, also in 

 groves or gardens. The chirrup and flight much resemble 

 those of the House Sparrow. 



Passer domesticus indicus. 



The House Sparrow. 



Passer domesticus (Oates, Vol. II., p. 236 ; Legge, p. 600). 



Description. — Male : Top of head, from forehead to nape, 

 ashy-gray ; lores and round the eye, chin, throat, and middle 

 of breast black, some of the breast feathers with ashy-white 

 tips ; rest of lower plumage ashy-white ; cheeks, ear coverts, 

 and sides of neck white ; a broad chestnut streak over the 

 eye to the nape ; upper back and scapulars chestnut with 

 broad black streaks ; lower back, rump, and scapulars ashy- 

 gray ; lesser wing coverts chestnut ; median coverts blackish 

 with broad white tips ; greater coverts and innermost quills 

 black with broad rufous margins and paler tips ; remaining 

 quills dark brown with pale rufous edges ; tail feathers grayish - 

 brown with paler edges. 



