488 



A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Mountain-systems of south and central 

 Europe and Mediterranean Islands (casual in Malta), but replaced 

 by an allied race in south-east Europe (Dalmatia to Greece), and 

 by others in Caucasus, Asia Minor and other part.s of Asia. 



PRUNELLA MODULARIS 



199. Prunella modularismodularis(L.)— THE CONTINENTAL 

 HEDGE-SPARROW. 



MoTAciLLA MODULABis Linnseus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 184 (1758 — 

 " Habitat in Europa." Restricted typieallocality : Sweden). 



Description. — Like P. 

 m. occidentalis and moults 

 same but differs in being 

 paler and purer grey on 

 throat and breast especi- 

 ally in male, in belly 

 being usually whiter and 

 in 2nd primary being 

 longer in proportion to 

 7th ; 2nd being 2-4 and 

 sometimes as much as 

 5-6 mm . longer than 7th , 

 7th 6-9 mm. shorter than 

 longest i^rimary, 6th jiri- 

 mary 1-3 mm. shorter 

 than longest, usually 

 shorter than in P. m. 

 occidentalis. Colour of 

 upper-parts is variable 

 in shade, some being 



darker and more rufous than others both in this form and P. m. 

 occidentalis, but upper-parts of P. m. modularis are usually 

 brighter rufous-brown than in P. m. occidentalis. 



Breeding-habits. — Very similar to those of British form: separate 

 descrij)tion unnecessary. Eggs. — Also similar. Average of 83 by 

 Rey, 19.5 X 14.4 mm. Breeding-season. — From mid -April onward. 



Food. — Probably very similar to that of British form, chiefly small 

 insects and seeds. Naumann mentions Solanum, Polygonum, Carex, 

 Amaranthus, etc. 



Distribution. — Great Britain. — Passage -migrant and probable 

 winter-resident. Is only form proved to visit Fair Isle, where it 

 is regular, first week April to mid-May (earliest March 26, latest 

 May 29) and Sept. 23 to Nov. 19, most numerous last week Oct. to 



A. The Continental Hedpre-SpaiTow (Prunella m. 



modularis). B The Britisli Hedge-Sparrow (P. »?. 



occidentalis). Note lontrer 2nd and shorter 7th 



primaries in P. m. modularis. 



