PASSER ITALIA 
(ITALIAN SPARROW.) 
Fringilla italie, Vieill. Nouv. Dict. xii. p. 199 (1817). 
Fringilla cisalpina, Temm. Man. d’Orn. i. p. 351 (1820). 
Pyrgita italica, Bp. Comp. List, p. 31 (1838). 
Pyrgita cisalpina (Yemm.), Riipp. Neue Wirbelth. p. 100 (1835-40). 
Passer domesticus, var. 23. italicus, Keys. & Blas. Wirbelth. Eur. p. 40 (1840). 
Passer domesticus cisalpinus, Schlegel, Rev. Crit. p. 64 (1844). 
Passer cisalpinus (Temm.), Riipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 78. no. 292 (1845). 
Passer ttalie (Vieill.), Deg]. Orn. Eur. i. p. 207 (1849). 
Pyrgita cisalpina (Temm.) C. L. Brehm, Vogelfang, p. 98 (1855). 
Moineau cisalpin, French; Passera, Passera reale, Italian. 
Figure notabiles. 
Werner, Atlas, Granivores, pl. 39; Roux, Orn. Prov. pl. 82 bis; Vieill. Gal. Ois. i. pl. 63; 
Bonap. Faun. Ital. 
Ad. P. domestico similis, sed corpore supra coloribus clarioribus, pileo toto castaneo, capitis lateribus magis 
albis, strid alba a fronte supra oculos, regione circumoculari nigra: corpore reliquo ut in P. domestico 
picturato. 
Adult Male (Genoa). Differs from Passer domesticus in having the upper parts rather more brightly 
coloured, the cheeks whiter, the entire crown and nape rich chestnut-red; from the forehead over 
and behind the eye a white streak passes; lores and space round the eye, but chiefly below it, black ; 
rest of the plumage as in Passer domesticus. 
Adult Female (Modena). Undistinguishable from the female of Passer domesticus. 
Obs. In winter plumage the bill is dull yellowish, and not black, and the feathers on the crown have, to 
some extent, narrow dull greyish edgings. 
THE present species is one very closely allied to Passer domesticus, but differs constantly from that 
species by its rufous head. It is somewhat difficult to state precisely the exact limits of its range, 
it having been in so many instances almost hopelessly confused with Passer hispaniolensis, and 
even with Passer domesticus; but after a careful perusal of all that I can find on record respecting 
our European Sparrows, and a critical examination of specimens from various localities in Southern 
Europe, I feel convinced that it is only met with on the mainland of Italy, beyond the Alps, and 
does not occur on the islands of the Mediterranean. It is said to have occurred in Spain; but 
Colonel Irby doubts the authenticity of the specimen said to have been obtained there; and 
Captain Cooke Widdrington expressly states that, although on the look-out for this form in 
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