46 A CATALOerE OP THE BIBDS 



by this time had lost their brown margins, and the birds appeared 

 in their complete nuptial dress. 



When the Eose-coloured Starlings arrive ia England they all, 

 more or less, retain this dress : two of the most beautiful rosy 

 specimens in my collection were taken in this district in July. 

 Those that arrive so early as this have not commenced to moult, 

 and hence are exceedingly pure ia their tints. My freshest fea- 

 thered individuals, which are from India, have both the black 

 and rose colour much obsciu'ed by the margiaal tints. 



The Eose-coloured Starling is undoubtedly closely allied to 

 the Common Starling. This alliance is seen in its general habits, 

 and in the character of its nest and eggs. It is also seen in the 

 pale tips of the feathers of the head, crest, neck, and breast of 

 the adult, before their change by abrasion ; so likewise of the fea- 

 thers of the lesser wing coverts, each of which has a pale spot at 

 the extremity. The nest plumage, too, is exceedingly like that 

 of the Common Starling. 



Family. FEINGILLID^, Vigors. 

 38. PASSER, Brisson. 

 27. House Spaeeow. P. domesticus, Brisson. 



FringiUa domestica, Eewick, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 1847, I,, 

 245. 



Passer domesticus, Yarrell, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 2, I., 521. 



This very common resident is almost everywhere associated 

 with the dwellings of man, but is rare in wild and elevated 

 situations. 



The Sparrow is a most valuable bird to the agriculturist, 

 though its services are but little appreciated by him. It feeds 

 its young almost exclusively on insects and their larvse. 



A few years ago I watched, for some time, a pair of Sparrows 

 feeding their young. The parents returned every four or five 

 minutes with a mouthful of insects. Supposing that at each 

 time six insects were brought, and this action were continued for 

 twelve hours a day for three weeks, a single brood of Sparrows 



