FRINGILLIDJE THE FINCHES. 247 



SUBFAMILY PASSERINE. 



"The introduction into the United States at so many distant 

 points, of the European House Sparrow (Pyrgita domesticd) renders 

 it necessary to introduce it with any work treating of the birds of 

 North America, although totally different in so many features from 

 our own native forms. * In some respects 



similar to certain CoccoihramtirMz, in the short tarsi and covered 

 nostrils, the wings are shorter and more rounded, the sides of the 

 bill with stiff bristles, etc. The much longer, more vaulted bill, 

 weaker feet, and covered nostrils, distinguish it from Spizellina." 

 (Hist. N. Am. B.) 



GENUS PASSER BRITON. 



Passer BEISSON, Orn. iii, 1760, 72. Type, FringiUa domest'.ci LINN. 



"Gen. CHAR. Bill robust, swollen, without any distinct ridge; upper and under outlines 

 curved; margins inflexed; palate vaulted, without any knob; nostrils covered by sparse, 

 short, incumbent feathers ; side of bill with stiff, appressed bristles. Tarsi short and 

 stout, about equal to or shorter than the middle toes; claws short, stout, and considerably 

 curved. Wings longer than tail; somewhat pointed. Tail nearly even, emarginated, and 

 slightly rounded." (Hist. N. Am. B.) 



Passer domesticus (I/nn., 



EUROPEAN HOTTSE-SPARROW. 



Popular synonyms. English Sparrow; European Sparrow; House Sparrow. 

 FringiUa domestica LINN. S. N. ed. 10,1,1758,183; ed. 12, i, 1766, 323. 

 Passer domesticus SCHAEKP. Mus. Or. 1789, 24. COUKS, Key, 1872, 146; 2d ed. 1884, 344; 



Check List, 1873, No. 187; 2d ed. 1882, No. 192. 

 Pyrgita domestica Cuv. Keg. An. 2d ed. i, 1729, 439. B. B. & B. Hist. N. Am. B. i, 1874, 



525. pi. 23, flg. 12. 



HAS. Whole of Palaearctic Region. Introduced into and naturalized in North America 

 Australia, and other countries. 



"SP- CHAE. Male. Above chestnut-brown; the interscapular feathers streaked with 

 black on inner webs; the top of head and nape, lower back, rump, and tail-coverts, plain 

 ashy; narrow frontal line, lores, chin, throat, and jugulum black; rest of under parts 

 grayish, nearly white along median region. A broad chestnut- brown stripe from behind 

 eye, running into the chestnut of back; cheeks and sides of neck white; outside of closed 

 wing, pale chestnut-brown, with a broad white band on the middle coverts, and behind 

 showing the brown Quills; the lesser coverts dark chestnut, like the head stripe. Tail 

 dark brown, edged with pale chestnut. Bill black; feet reddish; iris brown. 



"Female. Duller of color, and lacking the black of face and throat ; breast and abdomen 

 reddish ash; cheeks ashy; a yellow-ochre band above and behind the eyes, and across 

 the wings. Head and neck above brownish ash ; body above reddish ash, streaked longi- 

 tudinally with black. 



"Male in winter. The colors generally less distinct. Length, 6.00; wing, 2.85; tail, 

 2.50; tarsus, .70; middle toe and claw, .60. 



