104 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



end of March ; and there is some evidence of a cross-Channel 

 departure in late autumn, and a return movement at end of 

 March and beginning of April. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Europe generally except Italy, eastwards 

 to Siberia, Replaced by closely-allied forms in north Africa 

 and parts of Asia and by a different species in Italy. 



PASSER MONTANUS 



41. Passer montanus montanus (L.) — THE TREE-SPARROW 



Fkingilla MONTANA Linnseus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 183 (1758 — "Habitat 

 in Europa." Restricted typical locality : North Italy ; c/. Hartert, 

 Vog. pal. Fauna, 1, p. 160). 

 Passer montamts (Linnaeus), Yarrell, 11, p. 82 ; Saunders, p. 181. 



Description. — Adult male and female. Winter. — Whole croAvn 

 and back of neck extending on sides of neck to base of ear-coverts 

 uniform magenta-chocolate ; mantle and scapulars rufous- and 

 yellowish-broMTi boldly streaked black ; back and rump uniform 

 yellowish-broA^Ti ; upper tail-coverts greyer bro\Mi ; lores, line imder 

 eye, sides of lower mandible, chin, throat, and just reaching 

 upper-breast black (sometimes chocolate feathers amongst black) ; 

 lower portion of ear-coverts black, forming a patch ; rest of ear- 

 coverts and sides of tliroat and neck white, slightly marked 

 grejash-black ; upper -breast greyish-white ; rest of breast and 

 belly purer white ; flanks cashed huffish- and smoky-bro\Mi ; 

 imder tail-coverts buffish-white with pale bro\ATri centres ; axillaries 

 pale buff ; tail-feathers dark bro\Mi, fringed buff ; primaries black- 

 broAMi, inner webs fringed pale buff, outer webs fringed chestnut- 

 broMTi, broadly at bases and at ends of emarginations ; secondaries 

 same but Avith more even fringes to outer webs, and inner feathers 

 more broadly fringed and tipped ; primary-coverts bro\ATi at 

 base, black at tip ; greater coverts as inner secondaries but tipped 

 buffish-white ; median coverts black, tipped buffish-white (tips of 

 greater and median coverts making tM^o narrow wing-bars) ; lesser 

 coverts uniform broA^-nish-chestnut. This plumage is acquired by 

 complete moult in Aug. -Oct. Summer. — 'No moult, and abrasion 

 causes little noticeable alteration, but white of sides of head and 

 tips of wing-coverts becomes purer. 



Nestling. — Down, absent. Mouth, inside dull pink (sometimes 

 dark spot at tip of tongue) ; externally, flanges pale yellow. 



Juvenile. — ^Much resembling adult, but croAMi mostly smoky- 

 bro\Mi, feathers A\ith small blackish tips, sides of croAAH and back 

 of neck dull chestnut-brown ; mantle less rufous ; tliroat, lores, 

 and ear-coverts greyish-black ; greater wing-coverts and outer 

 webs of wing-feathers broA^n, not chestnut-broAMi ; tips of greater 

 and median coverts buff ; lesser coverts browner, not so chestnut. 



