FEINGILLID^ — THE FDJCHES. 247 



Subfamily PASSERINE. 



"The inh-odi;ction into the United States at so many distant 

 points, of the Euroijeau House Sparrow (Pyrgita domestka) renders 

 it necessary to introduce it with any work treating of the birds of 

 North America, although totally diiferent in so many features from 

 oui- own native forms. * * * j^ some respects 



similar to certain Coccothraustirue, in the short tarsi and covered 

 nostrils, the wings are shorter and more rounded, the sides of the 

 bill with stiff bristles, etc. The much longer, more vaulted bill, 

 weaker feet, and covered nostrils, distinguish it from Spizelllnce." 

 (Hist. N. Am. B.) 



Genus PASSER Bri-; on. 



Passer BnissoN-. Om. iii, 17(10, 72. Type, Ft-inoi'^a rloincai c t Linn. 



"Gen. Chak. Bill robust, swollen, without any distinct ridge ; upper and under outlines 

 curved: margins inflexed; palate vaulted, without any knob; nostrils covered by sparse, 

 short, incumbent feathers; side of bill with stiff, appressed bristles. Tarsi short and 

 stout, about eaual to or shorter than the middle toes; claws short, stout, and considerably 

 curved. Wings longer than tail; somewhat pointed. Tail nearly even, emarginateU, and 

 slightly rounded." {Hist. N. Am. B.) 



Passer domesticus (L'nn., 



ETJKOPEAN HOUSE-SPABBOW. 

 Popular synonyms. English Sparrow; European Sparrow; House Sparrow. 

 Fringilla domestica Lixx. S. N. ed. 10. i. 1758, 183; ed.ll>,i,17iW,S;3. 

 Passer domesticus Schaeff. Mus. Or. 17S9, 24.— CouES. Key, 1S7-.', 146; 2d ed. 1884, 3M; 



Check List.l873,No. 187; 2d ed. 1.SS2, Xo. 192. 

 Pyrgita domestica Ccv. Keg. An. 2fl ed. i, IT^. 439.-B. B. & E. Hist. X. Am. B. i, 1S74. 



535.pl. 2.3, ng. 12. 

 Hjub. Whole of Paltearctic Kegion. Introduced into and naturaUzod in North .imerica 

 Australia, and other countries. 



"Sp Char. Male. Above chestnut-brown; the interscapubir feathers streaked with 

 black on inner webs; the top of head and nape, lower back, rump, and tail-coverts, plain 

 ashy; narrow frontal line, lores, chin, throat, and jugulum black; rest of under parts 

 grayish, nearly while along median region. A broad chestnut-brown stripe from behind 

 eye. rimnins into the chestnut of back; cheeks and sides of neck white; outside of closed 

 wing, pale chestnut-brown, with a broad white band on the middle coverts, and behind 

 showing the brown quills: the lesser coverts dark chestnut, like the head stripe. Tail 

 dark brown, edged with pale chestnut. Bill black; feet reddish; iris brown. 



"Female. Duller of color, and lacking the black of face and throat ; bre.ist and abdomen, 

 reddish ash: cheeks ashy; a yellow-ochre band abcve and behind ihe eyes, and across 

 the wings. Head and neck above brownish ash ; body above r-ddish ash, streaked longi- 

 tudinally with black. 



"Male in winter. The colors generally less distinct Length, 6.00; wing, 2.85; tail, 

 2.50; tarsus, .70; middle toe and claw. .60. 



