SPARROWS 87 



broad greyish eyebrow, and a yellow spot on the chest 

 which is bright and distinct in some individuals, more 

 obscure and paler in others. They lay three or four grey 

 eggs mottled with slatey-brown. 



The Cape Sparrow (Passer melanurus), or Mossie as 

 it is called by the Colonial (Dutch and English alike), 

 is the South African equivalent of the English House 

 Sparrow. Its habits are much the same, building as it 

 does, a large untidy nest of grass and sticks, lined with 

 wool, feathers, twine, or indeed anything soft and warm 

 that comes handy. The nest is placed in a bush, tree, 

 gutter or pipe, under the eaves or on a rafter. It lays 

 three or four eggs of a pale greyish-green or blue colour, 

 spotted and blotched with various shades of brown ; the 

 eggs vary considerably in size, shape and markings, some 

 being almost black with the profusion and darkness of 

 the blotches, while others are quite light owing to the 

 scarcity and paleness of the mottling. 



They eat almost anything, and during the grain season 

 do quite an appreciable amount of damage in company 

 with their cousins, the Weaver-birds. 



The Cape Sparrow's range is fairly general in South 

 Africa, but only extends into the Coast Districts of the 

 Eastern Province of the Cape during the winter months ; 

 their most southerly nesting grounds seem to be the high 

 veld at the Great Fish River in the Albany Division. 



The male differs from the female in his brighter tints 

 and black head, the female having a grey head. 



Another and scarcer species is the Grey-headed Sparrow 

 (P. griseus) ranging from the northern and north eastern 

 districts of the Cape, throughout the sub-continent. 

 Both sexes resemble the female of the Mossie in colour, 

 but can be distinguished from this bird by its shriller 



