104 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



end of March ; and there is some evidence of a cross-Channel 

 departure in late autumn, and a return movement at end of 

 March and beginning of April. 



DISTRIBUTION. Abroad. Europe generally except Italy, eastwards 

 to Siberia. Replaced by closely-allied forms in north Africa 

 and parts of Asia and by a different species in Italy. 



PASSER MONTANUS 



41 . Passer montanus montanus (L.) THE TREE-SPARROW 



FRINGILLA MONTANA Linnaeus, Syst. Xat., ed. x, i, p. 183 (1758 "Habitat 

 in Europa." Restricted typical locality : North Italy ; cf. Hartert, 

 Vog. pal. Fauna, i, p. 160). 

 Passer montanus (Linnaeus), Yarrell, n, p. 82 ; Saunders, p. 181. 



DESCRIPTION. Adult male and female. Winter. Whole croAvn 

 and back of neck extending on sides of neck to base of ear-coverts 

 uniform magenta-chocolate ; mantle and scapulars rufous- and 

 yellowish-brown boldly streaked black ; back and rump uniform 

 yellowish-brown ; upper tail-coverts greyer brown ; lores, line under 

 eye, sides of lower mandible, chin, throat, and just reaching 

 upper-breast black (sometimes chocolate feathers amongst black) ; 

 lower portion of ear-coverts black, forming a patch ; rest of ear- 

 coverts and sides of throat and neck white, slightly marked 

 greyish-black ; upper-breast greyish-white ; rest of breast and 

 belly purer white ; flanks washed buffish- and smoky-bro-mi ; 

 under tail-coverts buffish-white with pale brown centres ; axillaries 

 pale buff ; tail-feathers dark brown, fringed buff ; primaries black- 

 brown, inner webs fringed pale buff, outer webs fringed chestnut- 

 brown, broadly at bases and at ends of emarginations ; secondaries 

 same but with more even fringes to outer webs, and inner feathers 

 more broadly fringed and tipped ; primary-coverts brown at 

 base, black at tip ; greater coverts as inner secondaries but tipped 

 huffish-white ; median coverts black, tipped huffish-white (tips of 

 greater and median coverts making two narrow wing-bars) ; lesser 

 coverts uniform brownish-chestnut. This plumage is acquired by 

 complete moult in Aug. -Oct. Summer. No moult, and abrasion 

 causes little noticeable alteration, but white of sides of head and 

 tips of wing-coverts becomes purer. 



Nestling. Down, absent. Mouth, inside dull pink (sometimes 

 dark spot at tip of tongue) ; externally, flanges pale yellow. 



Juvenile. Much resembling adult, but cro^-n mostly srnoky- 

 brown, feathers with small blackish tips, sides of crown and back 

 of neck dull chestnut-brown ; mantle less rufous ; throat, lores, 

 and ear-coverts greyish-black ; greater wing-coverts and outer 

 webs of wing -feathers brown, not chestnut-bro^Ti ; tips of greater 

 and median coverts buff ; lesser coverts browner, not so chestnut. 



