93 



Breeding Range: Locally in Spain and the Balkan peninsula. [Also 

 in the Cape Verde Isles, the Canaries, N. Africa, and from Asia Minor to 

 Central Asia; while local races are found in S. Italy and the main islands 

 of the Mediterranean.] 



In the Iberian peninsula this species is exceedingly local, but is p°^- 

 abundant in some places. It is also found on some of the Canary Islands, Europe 

 and in the Barbary States large colonies are frequently met with. In 

 Greece it appears to be local in the breeding season, but Kriiper records 

 it from Acarnania and near Vrachori, and Reiser from Velestino in Thessaly. 

 The latter naturaKst also discovered a colony near Philippopolis in E. Rumelia 

 in 1893. In Asia Minor it is locally abundant, breeding in huge colonies. 



As a rule this bird prefers to nest in the open country, avoiding Nest. 

 towns and villages, but usually near cultivated ground. In southern Spain 

 and Marocco the nest is often placed under that of one of the larger birds 

 of prey, but this habit is also often shared by P. domesticiis. Occasionally 

 however it builds an independent nest among the branches, spherical in 

 shape but more neatly constructed than that of its congener. In Algeria 

 and Tunis hundreds of these birds nest in colonies in the tamarisk thickets, 

 and also in the date palms and poplars, while at Sousa in E. Tunis 

 Whitaker found nests under the eaves of a crowded cafe, not more than 

 9 or 10 ft. from the ground. In the Balkan peninsula colonies breed in the 

 nests of the White Stork and Imperial Eagle, and in Rumelia Reiser found 

 nests among the branches of willows. In Asia Minor the nests are sometimes 

 placed so closely together that the trees are completely covered by them. 



Usually 5 — 7 in number. In colour they are subject to little variation; Eggs. 

 nearly all having a pale bluish ground, rather sparsely marked with dark 

 leaden or olive-grey spots and streaks, with finer underlying paler bluish 

 grey spots. The markings frequently tend to form a cap. One egg in a 

 clutch is sometimes lighter than the rest, but this tendency is not nearly 

 so common as in the House and Tree Sparrow. 



In N. Africa from April onwards, while in the Balkan peninsula and Breeding 

 Asia Minor most eggs are laid about the middle of May. season. 



Average size of 104 eggs (chiefly from Asia Minor) 21.98x14.19 mm., Measure- 

 Max. 24 X 16 and 23.5 X 16.2 mm., Min. 20 X 14.5 and 21,1 X 14 mm. ""'°*'- 

 Reiser gives the average weight of 13 eggs from Thessaly as nearly 

 164 mg, varying from 120 to 200 mg. 



Geographical Races. 



Spanish Sparrow, P. hispaniolensis hispaniolensis (Temm.). See above. 

 Sardinian Sparrow, P. Iiispaniolensis arrigonii Tsch. 



P. hispaniolensis arrigonii Tsch. Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 157. 

 Breeding Range: Sardinia and probably also Corsica. 



