BIRDS OF TENASSERIM. 407 



708 ter.— Passer assimilis, Wald. Descr, S. F., III., 

 157. 



I long ago suggested, loc. cit., that this supposed species, the 

 type of which came from Tonghoo, was really a stage of the 

 preceding. As Lord Tvveeddale still allows this species to 

 stand as distinct, B. of B., p. 94, it is to be presumed that he 

 still considers it a good one ; and such being the case it is to be 

 regretted that he did not at the same time furnish a better 

 • and fuller description of it than that under which it was ori- 

 ginally characterized, and which I reproduced loc. cit. Until this 

 is done, most ornithologists, I think, who know flaveolus and 

 the changes of its plumage in both sexes from nestling to adult, 

 will agree with me in considering the species a doubtful one. 



710. — Passer montanus, Lin. (11). 



Pahpoon ; Lemyne ; Yea ; Taroy ; Mergui ; Pakchan, 



The House- Sparrow of Tenasserim. 



[Common about all the large towns and villages, and not dif- 

 fering in its habits from the common Sparrow, P. indicus. Its 

 note is perhaps softer, aad it is decidedly a less noisy bird ; it is 

 rare to the south, and does not ascend the hills. The Burmans 

 hang cocoanut shells, with a hole cut in the side round their 

 houses for these birds to breed in, as they like to have them about 

 the houses. It is a familiar little bird, but is more shy than its 

 Indian ally.— W. D.] 



719.— Emberiza fucata, Pall. (6). 



(Tonghoo, Earns.) Khyketo ; Momenzeik ; Kedai-Keglay ; Thatone. 



A rare cold weather visitant to the plains of the open central 

 and northern portions of the province. 



[I found this bird singly about the grass on the Thatone 

 plains, and again saw and shot it in the brushwood at the foot of 

 the Momenzeik rocks, about nine miles from Moulmein. — 

 W. D.] 



720.— Emberiza pusilla, Pall. (1). 



(Karennee, at 5,500 feet, Rams.) Mooleyit. 



Only met with in Tenasserim proper at the summit of Moo- 

 leyit, but re-appearing at similar heights in Karennee. 



[About the steep precipitous rocks, immediately below the 

 cone of Mooleyit, I saw a few flocks of this bunting. They were 

 excessively wild, and it was with difficulty that I managed to 

 secure a single specimen. They settled about the rocks and on . 



