HOUSE-SPARROW. 63 



PASSER DOMESTICUS. 

 HOUSE-SPARROW. 



(PLATE 13.) 



Passer domesticus, Briss, Orn. iii. p. 72 (1 700) ; et auctorum plurimorum 

 (Gmelin), (Scopoli), (Latham), (Temminck), Degland 8? Gerbe, (Naumanri), 

 Dresser, Newton, &c. 



Fringilla domestica, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 323 (1766). 



Pyrgita domestica (Briss.), Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 554. 



Passer tingitanus, Bonap. Cat. Parsud. p. 18 (1856). 



The House-Sparrow is certainly the best known, the most widely distri- 

 buted, and the most closely attached to man of all our British birds. 

 Almost without exception it is commonly distributed throughout the 

 British Islands, only being absent from certain isolated places in the High- 

 lands, the bare and rocky islands of Scotland, and one or two similar 

 places in Ireland. As is generally known, the House-Sparrow is by far the 

 commonest in the most populous districts, and as the wilder localities are 

 brought under cultivation the Sparrow soon follows as, for instance, in 

 the Outer Hebrides where, half a century ago, the bird was unknown, but 

 has now firmly established itself. 



The House- Sparrow is distributed over the whole of Europe (up to, and 

 occasionally beyond, the Arctic circle), with the exception of Sicily, Sar- 

 dinia, and Malta (where it is replaced by Passer hispaniolensis , which is 

 also found in Spain, Asia Minor, Egypt, Nubia, and Algeria, together with 

 our bird, the latter being chiefly confined to the towns), and of Italy, 

 Corsica, and the Southern Tyrol, in which latter countries it is replaced 

 by P. italice. Both these species may be easily distinguished by having 

 the crown of the head chestnut instead of ash-grey. In Asia the Sparrow 

 extends as far as the sources of the Amoor, but does not appear to be 

 found in the valley of the Lena, further east in Siberia, or in Japan 

 and China, although it is found throughout India and the Burmah 

 peninsula. 



Examples from South Persia, Afghanistan, Beluchistan, India, and 

 Burmah are slightly paler and more brilliant in colour, and have the ear- 

 coverts white instead of ashy grey. They have been described as a distinct 

 species under the name of Passer indicus. This form must, however, be 

 considered only subspecifically distinct from that of Europe and North 

 Asia, inasmuch as the Sparrows of the Caucasus, North Persia, and Tur- 

 kestan are intermediate in colour. 



The range of the House- Sparrow has been artificially increased to a very 



