4 
Persia, specimens from the Caspian resembling European examples, whereas others from the 
plateau and the southern part of the country agree best with the Indian form. He agrees with 
me in considering that the two forms are not specifically separable. Mr. Hume states that it is 
very abundant throughout Sindh; and Dr. Jerdon says (B. of India, i. p. 363) that it is “ generally 
diffused all over India, from the extreme south and Ceylon to the foot of the Himalayas, and 
eastwards to Assam, Arrakan, and Upper Pegu, and also to Siam, according to Crawford. It is 
less abundant on the Malabar coast and, generally, in the very rainy districts; and Quilon is said 
to be exempt from its society..... It is not found at Darjeeling; but it occurs on the N.W. 
Himalayas up to a moderate height.” Dr. Henderson says that it is common in Cashmere and 
Ladak, but he never met with it in Yarkand; but Dr. Severtzoff informs me that he found it 
common and resident. It inhabits Siberia; and Von Middendorff says that on the Ienesei he 
met with it up to Worogowo in 61° N. lat., above which its place was taken by the Tree-Sparrow. 
At Udskoj-Ostrog he did not observe it; and from Amginskaja-Sloboda out he did not meet with 
it until he reached Us'tjs’trelins’kij-Karaul, where the Schilka and the Argunj join. Von Schrenck 
did not meet with it in the Amoor country, nor did Dr. Radde, who says that he first observed it 
at the Changinskischen post. He met with it here and there on the west side of Lake Baikal ; 
and thence it has straggled to the island of Olchon. 
The above seems to be, as near as I can ascertain, the natural geographical range of the 
common Sparrow; but being a species easy to acclimatize, and as it is so extremely useful in 
destroying noxious insects, it has been very extensively introduced into far distant countries. It 
is now tolerably common in and near several towns in the United States of America, and is also 
acclimatized in Cuba, being, Dr. Gundlach says, common in and near Havana. I am indebted to 
Mr. Edward Newton for examples from Mauritius, where it has become common, which agree 
closely with specimens from Southern Europe. It has also been taken to New Zealand and 
Australia, and is now, Captain Hutton says, becoming very numerous at Auckland. 
It is scarcely necessary to give any details respecting the habits of so well-known a bird as 
the House-Sparrow ; for not only is it found in villages and wherever there are habitations in the 
country, but even the grimy slums in the midst of the vast wilderness of bricks and mortar in 
our large cities are tenanted by the ubiquitous Sparrow; and the city Arab, who has never 
beheld a green field or roamed beyond the maze of streets in the midst of which he picks up a 
precarious livelihood, is as well acquainted with the Sparrow as is the more fortunate country 
lad who has never breathed any but the pure untainted country air. And there is quite as 
much difference in appearance between the country Sparrow and the town Sparrow as there is 
between the rosy-cheeked young chawbacon and the stunted, gaunt, and preternaturally sharp. 
street-urchin; for whereas the country bird is clean, its colours are bright, and the plumage 
even elegant, the grimy dirty-looking town Sparrow has its plumage rendered so dingy by the 
smoky atmosphere, that it is hard to distinguish what the real colours are; but nevertheless it is 
as pert and self-asserting as if it were clad in the brightest apparel. Usually found in close 
proximity to houses, the Sparrow frequents the gardens, yards, and such places in the country, 
where it can pick up any leavings, seeds, or insects that may come in its way, or else it frequents, 
especially in the autumn, the cultivated fields and stack-yards in search of grain. In the town 
the Sparrow subsists chiefly on the undigested grain in the droppings in the streets, or else it 
