186 BIRDS OF DAMARA LAND. 



sticks, lined with feathers, down, &c., and placed either 

 on a tree or bush or under the eaves of thatched roofs ; 

 the eggs vary wonderfully in size and colour. The male 

 bird is rather larger than the female. The bill is black 

 in the male, and livid brown in the female ; the legs and 

 toes are olive-brown, darker in the male than in the 

 female ; the iris a very dark brown. 



228. Passer motitensis, Smith. Greater South- African Sparrow. 



Passer motitensis, Smith's Zool. of S. Africa, pi, 114. 

 Layard's Cat. No. 406. 



Sharpe's Cat. No. 658. 



This species is found at Lake Ngami ; and I also met 

 with it at Objimbinque, at Omapju, and near Otaiovapa. 

 I first met with its nest at Omapju, on January 5th, 1867 ; 

 it was placed on the top of a thorn bush, about seven 

 feet from the ground; and I subsequently met with 

 several other nests during the same month. The nest is 

 large, and is composed of coarse grass outside, and fine 

 grass within, and has an additional lining of feathers 

 and other soft and warm materials ; it is furnished with 

 a long entrance, sometimes a foot or more in length, 

 which ends in a deep and wide hollow. The eggs are 

 from three to six; but the most frequent number is 

 four; they are larger than the eggs of P. arcuatus, 

 and are invariably covered with a glutinous matter 

 which it is difficult to remove, even with the help of 

 water. 



The iris is dark brown, the bill liver-brown ; the legs 

 and toes resembling the bill in colour, but paler. 



