Breeding Range: The alpine regions of the Caucasus. [Also in 

 Persia and Afghanistan to E. Turkestan.] 



In the summer it inhabits the mountains at a height of from ten 

 to fourteen thousand feet, and apparently resembles the European race in 

 its breeding habits. 



39. Rock Sparrow, Petroiiia petronia (L.). 



Plate 12, fig. 21, 22 (Spain); 23, 24 (Greece). 



Eggs: Thienemann, Fortpfl., Tab. XXXIV, fig. 18, a— c. Baedeker, 

 Tab. 12, fig. 10. Reiser, Om. Bale. Ill, Taf. Ill, fig. 20, 21. 



Foreign Names: Bohemia: Vrahec Eutokrky. France: Moineau 

 soulcie. Germany: Steinsperling. Holland: Notmusch. Italy: Passer a lagia. 

 Poland: Loszczak lesny. Portugal: Pardal frangez. Russia: Kamenij worohej. 

 Spain: Oorribn monies, Chilla. 



Petronia stulta (Gm.). Dresser, Birds of Europe, HI, p. 607; id. Man. 

 Pal. Birds, p. 295. Petronia petronia petronia (L.). Hartert, Vog. Pal. 

 Fauna, p. 141. 



Breeding Range: Southern Europe: Spain, S. France, locally in the 

 Alps and Austria, Italy and Greece. [Also near Smyrna.] 

 Con- Although not uncommon on rocky ground and in the Sierras of the 



men a jj^g^jg^j^ peninsula, this species is nevertheless extremely local. It occurs also 

 in the south of France, and is found in small numbers in the mountainous 

 part of Switzerland. In Germany according to Hartert it is confined to 

 the 'Mussel-chalk' districts of Thuringia, the valley of the Saale and its 

 tributaries, the Unstrut, Ilm and Gera. It is said also to have been 

 found formerly in the Wetterau and the Rhine valley. In Austria it is 

 of very rare occurrence but has been observed in the Tyrol. 



In Italy it is found in suitable localities over the greater part of the 

 country and also in Sicily, but does not breed in Lombardy and is rare 

 in the Trent and Po valleys. 



In the Balkan peninsula LiKord observed this species near Cetinje, 

 Montenegro, in 1857, but it has not been observed there since, and is not 

 found in Bulgaria. In Greece however it is common, building among 

 the ruins of the Acropolis and in the roofs of the houses. Reiser records 

 it from Thessaly, Parnassus, Acamania, etc., and Lilford from Albania. In 

 the islands of the Greek archipelago it is however rare. [Also in Asia 

 Minor (Smyrna).] 

 Nest. Over the greater part of southern Europe the nest is generally found 



in crevices of rocks, and occasionally in old walls, ruined towers, holes 

 in trees, etc. In Greece is not only breeds commonly in ruins, but also 

 nests underneath the tiling of inhabited houses (Orw. Bale. Ill, p. 236). 



