THE MOUNTAIN SPAfcROW. 277 



Description Food Activity. 



mage: in the British and Leverian Museums 

 there are several white ones, with yellow eyes 

 and bills: others more or less mixed with brown, 

 and some entirely black. 



THE MOUNTAIN SPARROW. 



THIS species is somewhat less than the common 

 sparrow. The bill is black; the eyes hazel; the 

 crown of the head, and hind part of the neck 

 are of a chesnut colour; the sides of the head, 

 white; the throat black; behind each eye is a 

 large black spot; the upper parts of the body- 

 are of a rusty brown, spotted with black ; the 

 breast and under parts whitish ; the quilis are 

 black, w ith reddish edges, as are also the greater 

 coverts ; the lesser are bay, edged with black, 

 and crossed with two white bars; the tail is of a 

 reddish brown, and even at the end; the legs 

 are pale yellow. This species is common in 

 Yorkshire, Lancashire, and also in Lincolnshire, 

 but has not been seen further north ; it is indeed 

 much more plentiful in many parts of the conti- 

 nent than in England, and has also been found 

 in Italy, France, Germany, and Russia. 



Buflbn says, that the mountain sparrow feeds 

 on fruits, seeds, and insects. 'It is a lively, active 

 little bird, and when it alights, has a variety of 

 motions, whirling about and jerking its tail up- 



