HOUSE SPARROW. 293 



The bill nearly perfectly conic. They abound 

 in the various countries of the old world, extend- 

 ing from north to south. In America the genera 

 are fewer in number, and are still more limited 

 in the southern continent. In Australia none 

 have been discovered, their place there being 

 filled p, and chiefly represented by the genus 

 Estrelda, which ranges in the sub-family Cocco- 

 thraustinfB. The genus first to be noticed 



PYRGITA. Generic characters. Jj3ill strong ; 

 sides of the mandible swollen ; culmen 

 slightly raised and bending ; maxillae of 

 nearly equal strength; wings moderate in 

 development, with the three first quills 

 nearly of equal length ; tarsi and feet rather 

 strong ; tail scarcely forked. 



Types, P. domestica, Hispanoliensis, fyc. . 



Europe, Asia, Africa. 



THE HOUSE SPARROW, PYRGITTA DOMESTICA, 

 Flem. Passer domesticus. Will. Ray, Selby. 

 Fringilla domestica, Linn. The House Sparrow 

 of British authors. The typical Sparrows are 

 distributed generally, but in limited numbers, 

 over the Old World, inhabiting countries of varied 

 temperature. In colour, and the character of 

 their markings, they closely agree ; and except 

 in one or two instances where a patch of yellow 

 occurs, particularly on the throat, the tints are 

 deep chestnut with shades of brown and black 



