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Canon Tristram states (Ibis, 1859, p. 293) that it affects moist places, especially among the 
reeds in the salt marshes, and always breeds near water, in vast colonies of many thousands; 
and Mr. O. Salvin writes (Ibis, 1859, p. 314) as follows:—“I found it in great numbers during 
the breeding-season among the tamarisk thickets on Chemora, and in the high sedge at 
Zana. ‘The Arabs destroy the nests, eggs, and young wherever they find them, as their great 
numbers do much damage to the crops of corn. ‘The nests are placed as thickly as they can 
stand—the whole colony consisting of perhaps one hundred pairs, occupying only five or six 
trees. The noise and ceaseless chattering proceeding from one of these ‘Sparrow towns’ can 
easily be imagined ; and, guided by the sound alone, one may walk directly to the spot from a 
considerable distance.” 
I have a considerable series of the eggs of this Sparrow from Spain, which agree closely 
with clearly marked eggs of Passer domesticus; but I have never seen any dark varieties such as 
one frequently finds of the common Sparrow. The ground-colour is French white; and the 
- markings, which are clearly defined, consist of pale purplish brown underlying shell-spots and 
dark brown surface-spots or blotches, these being generally distributed over the surface of the 
shell, though those at the larger end are larger and more closely collected together. In size 
they agree with those of Passer domesticus. 
In note, flight, and general habits, except as above stated, the present species agrees closely 
- with the common Sparrow, and is as pert, bold, and quite as noisy as that species. 
The specimens figured are an adult male and female in full breeding-dress in my own 
collection. 
In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens :— 
E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 
a,3. Spain, 1848 (M. Fairmaire). 6,3. Aranjuez, Spain, May 14th, 1866 (H. HE. D.). c. Seville (Jrby). 
d,3. Cagliari, December 21st, 1863 (Salvadori). e, 3. Malta, September 26th, 1862 (C. A. Wright). 
f, 6. Malta, November 1862 (C. A. Wright). g,3,h,2. Tunis, February 1858 (P. L. Selater). i,¢3. 
North Africa. k, 6. Souf, January 3rd, 1857 (H. B. T.). J, 3. Turbali, Asia Minor, April 27th, 1871 
(Kriiper). m, 3. Smyrna, June 11th, 1863 (Kviiper). 
E Mus. Howard Saunders. 
a,g ad. Malaga, December 22nd, 1867. 6,¢ juv. Seville, November 12th, 1869. c¢,d,2. Seville, March 8rd. 
e,f,d. Seville, August 20th. g,d. Malaga, April 29th. hA,d ad. Malaga, April 4th. i, 3 juv. Malaga, 
October 16th. j,d,k,9. Palermo, Sicily (Doderlein). 1,3 juv. Malta, November 19th. m,¢. Malta, 
December 15th (C..A. Wright). n, 3. Turkestan, May 30th. 0,3. Turkestan, September 12th (Severtzoff). 
E Mus. H. B. Tristram. 
a,?. Avanjuez, April 25th, 1865 (Lord Lilford). 6,3. Avanjuez, May 8th, 1865 (Lord Lilford). c, ¢. 
Waregla, Sahara, December 1856 (H. B. 7.). d,3d,e,2. Rhodes, April 19th, 1858 (7. B. T.). f, o. 
Jericho, January 2nd, 1864 (H. B.7.). g,d. Fort of Hermon, June 4th, 1864 (H. B. T.). h, 3. 
Kokand, 1874 (Severtzoff). 
