39 o PERCHING BIRDS. 



ringing like silver bells through the still desert, or the almost imperceptible chords 



of an harmonium played by unseen hands. Again it changes, and this time its 



notes resemble the deep croak of the green frog of the Canaries, but less coarse, 



hastily repeated one after another. . . . The desert-finch does not appear frequently 



on the steep, rocky hills. ... It is much more partial to the black lava-streams of 



the desert, which, full of gaping rents and chasms, hardly permits a blade of grass 



to become green. They feed entirely or almost so on the seeds either of grasses, 



which are found like a mealy kind of bread in their stomachs when killed, or the 



oily seeds of composite and cruciferous plants, which they shell, like other finches. 



by moving them most carefully backwards and forwards between the mandibles of 



their strong beaks." This bird will also eat tender young leaves, Mr. Hume having 



observed it in Sind feeding in desert places in patches of mustard and other 



cultivation. It cannot long dispense with water, and must often fly some miles 



daily to get it : and the presence of these finches in the desert is always a good 



omen for the thirsty traveller. " I have constantly seen them," continues our author, 



" fly to drink in flocks. They drink much at a time in long draughts, between 



which they lift up their heads. After drinking they are very fond of bathing. I 



have never seen them roll about in the dust like sparrows. The breeding-time 



begins in March, and like those of most true desert-birds the nest is well concealed, 



and with such foresight that it can hardly ever be found. ... I know, however, 



from the goat-herds of Fuertaventura, that the moras, as they are called there, 



build in crevices under Luge overhanging stones upon the ground. The nest has a 



tolerably strong texture, and is woven with tin: coarse straws of the desert-grass 



ami lined within with great feathers, mostly of the ostrich and bustard, as well as 



the wool of the camel ami hair of the goat. The number of eggs is from three to 



Ave. . . . They are rattier large for the bird, pale sea-green, or lighter, with small 



spots and points of reddish brown. These finches certainly breed twice, if not more 



frequently. The second Aoult takes place in July." The desert-finch occasionally 



strays from its southern home into the Mediterranean region. The adult male in 



the breeding-season has the upper plumage, including the crown, ashy grey ; the 



forehead, cheeks, rump, and all the lower plumage of a beautiful rose-pink; 



ami the wings and tail brown, edged with rose-pink. The female is similar, but 



with all her tints duller. 



The members of this o-roup resemble the typical sparrows in 



Kock-Sparrows. _ , , ,.„.?, . , , .,, , 



structure and habits, but mfler in having a much stronger bill and 



longer wings. Unlike the true sparrows, the female rock-sparrows have 



however, no distinctive plumage of their own, but resemble more or less closely the 



male birds of their own species. The rock-sparrows are found in Southern 



Europe, extending into Central Europe, and ranging eastwards into Central Asia 



and Siberia, as well as Northern China. One species is found in India as a 



winter visitor, while two are resident in Africa. 



The European rock-sparrow (Petronia stulta) is found in some districts of 



Spain and Portugal, and the South of France, as well as in Greece and Palestine. 



Its habits resemble those of the common sparrow; but it is generally a very shy 



bird, flying away on the approach of danger, and constantly keeping a good 



lookout. It nests in the ruins of old castles and crevices of the rocks, building a 



