204 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



the tip, which is slightly emarginated ; the lateral margins 

 straight ; the gonys long, and curved upwards ; the nostrils 

 basal, lateral, with the opening partly covered by the frontal 

 plumes ; wings moderate, with the second and third quills 

 rather longer than the first ; tail moderate and even, or 

 slightl^ forked ; tarsi strong, nearly the length of the middle 

 toe, and covered with transverse scales ; toes moderate, the 

 lateral toes nearly equal ; the claws moderate and acute. 



406. Passer Motitensis, Smith; Zooi. s. A, 



PL 114. 



TOP of head, and back of neck, grey ; eyebrows, sides of 

 neck, and back, chesnut ; the latter dashed with dark-brown ; 

 streak through the eye, chin, and throat, black; cheeks, 

 breast, and belly, rusty- white ; wing and tail feathers, light 

 brownish-red. Length, 7" ; wing, 3" 5'" ; tail, 3". 



Dr. Smith only procured two specimens of this fine sparrow, " both 

 about sixty miles north of the Orange River. When they were killed 

 they were on the ground actively employed picking up seeds which 

 had fallen from the shrubs among which they were moving." 



407. PaSSer DifiUSUS ; Pyrgita Diffusa, Smith ; 

 Appendix to Report of Exped., p. 50. 



HEAD and neck, dull rusty-grey; interscapulars brown, 

 washed with grey ; wing-coverts, back, and rump, dark 

 chesnut- brown, some of the coverts tipped with white, which 

 form one or two oblique bands on the wings ; chin, throat, 

 breast, and flanks, pale grey-brown ; belly and vent, rusty- 

 white ; quills and tail, dark-brown. Length, 5" 9'". 



" Inhabits the country between the Orange River and the Tropic."- 

 Dr. Smith, loc. cit. 



408. Passer Arcuatus, Gmei.; PI. En., 230, f. i ; 



Cuv., Vol. 2, p. 135 ; Cape Sparrow. 



<5 Top of head, cheeks, chin, throat, and breast, black ; 

 back of head and neck, brown ; back, rump, and shoulders, 

 rufous ; wing and tail feathers brown, with light margins ; 

 a white stripe extends from over the eye, round the back of 

 the cheeks, and nearly unites on the throat ; under parts, 

 dirty white. p less brightly coloured. Length, 6" 6"' ; 

 wing, 3" 4'"; tail, 2" 7'". 



This Cape sparrow, like its cousin, the English bird, is essentially a 

 " cit." In the country you certainly find him, but never away from 

 human habitations. He seems to think man only builds houses for 



