230 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVIII. 
18. Desert Rock Sparrow. Carpospiza brachydactyla. 
Carpospiza brachydactyla (Bp.) (Consp. Av. i, p. 513, 1850— 
Konfuda in W. Arabia). 
Cheesman found this peculiar sparrow migrating in flocks on April 18th at 
Fatah Gorge passing up the line of the Jebel Hamrin range going N. N. W. 
He says the flight reminded him of that of a Hawfinch and the note is that of 
a Bunting ; a large migration was in progress that day, other species moving in 
the same direction were Spanish Sparrows, Ortolans and Wazgtails. 
The crops of specimens obtained contained seeds ; the organs were advanced. 
Later he found it breeding at a fair height on the Kermanshah road in Persian 
Luristan and the song is a long drawn out note like that of Buntings. The legs 
and feet in the male are horn colour, in the female pale flesh. 
Zarudny records it as a winter visitor and passage migrant in the Karun area ; 
it must I think breed not far from Fao as there is in the British Museum one got 
by Cumming in 1893 in juvenile dress. This piumage resembles the summer 
adult (worn) dress but it is a trifle more sandy, and much more sandy than the 
winter plumage. 
Three specimens examined: ¢ 9, Fatah Gorge, 18-4-19 ; 4, Tekrit, 19-4-19 
(P. Z. C. and R. E. C.). These agree well with Arabian specimens. 
19. Yellow-throated Sparrow. Gymnorhis flavicollis. 
Gymnorhis flavicollis transfuga, Hart. (Vog. Pal. F.), p. 145—Bahu- 
Kelat, Baluchistan). 
This is one of the Indian species which extends its range to Mesopotamia. It 
is @ summer visitor to the date palm areas from Fao to Baghdad arriving in 
April, breeding in the latter part of May or even earlier and leaving again in 
August and September. Beyond Baghdad there are no records of it; here 
Cheesman found several in song on April 27th and the organs of a male were 
well advanced, they were evidently breeding in the tall date palms. Tomlinson 
records that it breeds in holes of date palms at heights varying from 8 to 20 
feet at Basra; the nest is a typical sparrows, untidily built of dead grass and 
lined with feathers and contains not more than 4 eggs. Cumming however at 
Fao notes as many as five or six eggs in the clutch, and says the egys are typical 
sparrows eggs but vary much in colour and notes three distinct types, one of 
which is erythristic—a pinkish white ground mottled with pale reddish brown 
spots. Jourdain informs me the eggs in his collectian are at once recognizable 
from those of the House Sparrow by their smaller size, and the average size of 
ten eggs is 18°8 x 15°8 m.m. 
Cheesman records that one shot had the gizzard full of beetles. 
Five skins examined : ¢, Fao, 6-5-18 (Armstrong)'; Khazimain, 27-4-19 ; Basra 
18-4-17 (P. Z. C. and R. E. C.); 2 Basra, 1918 (Hobkirk). 
These correspond perfectly with topo-types from Baluchistan which are paler 
than the typical race from the Central Provinces of India. 
20. House Sparrow. Passer domesticus. ‘Asfur.’’ 
Passer domesticus biblicus, Hart. (Vog. Pal. F., p. 149—Sueme, Pales- 
tine *). 
A very common resident throughout Mesopotamia wherever there are habi- 
tations, and even following the camps out into the desert. In places where 
food is abundant such as supply depots, mule lines, etc., it occurs in huge flocks. 
They breed early, as Cheesman noted them feeding young with caterpillars 
on April 19th, and nests may be found at the end of June ; so that as in other races 
this form has two or more broods. A variety of nesting sites are chosen ; 
Pitman found at Kut and Adhaim many nests in scrub jungle, some in quite 
smali bushes, and Zarudny records finding 29 nests in one small bush in the 
Karun district ; trees of course are utilized, especially poplar and palm buildings 
