230 FIELD SPARROW. 



dom injuring the property of the farmer. In the dreary season 

 of winter some of them enliven the prospect by hopping fami- 

 liarly about our doors, humble pensioners on the sweepings of 

 the threshold. 



The present species has never before, to my knowledge, been 

 figured. It is five inches and a quarter long, and eight inches 

 broad; bill and legs a reddish cinnamon colour; upper part of 

 the head deep chestnut, divided by a slight streak of drab wid- 

 ening as it goes back; cheeks, line over the eye, breast and sides 

 under the wings a brownish clay colour, lightest on the chin, 

 and darkest on the ear feathers; a small streak of brown at the 

 lower angle of the bill; back streaked with black, drab, and 

 bright bay, the latter being generally centered with the former; 

 rump dark drab, or cinereous; wings dusky black, the primaries 

 edged with whitish, the secondaries bordered with bright bay; 

 greater wing coverts black, edged and broadly tipt with brown- 

 ish white; tail dusky black, edged with clay colour: male and 

 female nearly alike in plumage; the chestnut on the crown of the 

 male rather brighter. 



