PASSER SIMPLEX. 
(DESERT-SPARROW.) 
Fringilla simplex, Licht. Verz. Doubl. p. 24 (1823). 
Loxia simplex, Licht. fide Less. Traité d’Orn. p. 439 (1831). 
Pyrgita simplex (Licht.), Lesson, Traité d@’Orn. p. 439 (1831). 
Passer simplex, Bp. Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 511 (1850). 
Corospiza simplex (Licht.), Bp. Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 511 (1850). 
Passer lichtensteinti, Heug. Journ. fiir Orn. 1868, p. 88. 
Corospiza lichtensteinti (Heug.), G. R. Gray, Hand-l. ii. p. 87 (1870). 
Figure unice. 
Temm. Pl. Col. 358. fig. 1(¢), fig. 2 (2). 
g ad. ptil. hiem. pileo cinereo vix isabellino tincto, dorso isabellino-cinereo, uropygio et supracaudalibus pallidé 
isabellinis: remigibus et rectricibus diluté fumosis, versus apicem nigricantibus et isabellino-albido 
marginatis: tectricibus alarum minoribus isabellino-albidis, majoribus nigricantibus albido terminatis : 
primariorum tectricibus fuscescenti-nigricantibus: loris, gulA guttureque medio circumscripté nigris : 
colli lateribus albis: corpore subtts isabellino-albido: rostro fusco, ad basin albido: iride fusca: 
pedibus pallidé flavo-corneis. 
@ ad. vix minor, gula et loris isabellino-albidis nec nigris, supra isabellina nec griseo tincta. 
Adult Male (Hadjiri, Algeria). Crown delicate grey with an isabelline tinge; back isabelline grey; quills 
brownish grey, becoming blackish towards the tips, and finally terminated with creamy white; secon- 
daries isabelline on the outer web; lesser wing-coverts white, larger coverts blackish, broadly terminated 
with isabelline; primary coverts blackish; tail sooty brownish, darker towards the tip, all of the 
feathers margined with isabelline; upper tail-coverts creamy white; lores and upper throat black ; 
underparts white with an isabelline tinge; sides of the neck pure white; bill whitish at the base, 
otherwise brown ; iris dark brown; legs dull yellowish horn. Total length about 5:5 inches, culmen 0:4, 
wing 3:1, tail 2°5; tarsus 0°85. 
Adult Female. Differs from the male in having the upper parts warm isabelline, not grey, in lacking the 
black on the throat and lores; and the sides of the neck are isabelline, and not pure white. Total 
length about 5 inches, culmen 0:4, wing 2°95, tail 2°4, tarsus 0°83. 
Obs. The above descriptions are taken from specimens in winter dress; but the summer plumage does not 
appear to differ: the bill, however, according to Von Heuglin, is black, and not brown, in the summer. 
WueEn making out the list of the species which occur on the extreme southern and south- 
eastern limits of the Western Palearctic Region I experienced some difficulty in deciding where 
the line should be drawn, and was inclined to exclude a few desert forms, the present species 
amongst the number; but on discussing matters with the Rev. Canon Tristram, whose personal 
experience as a field-naturalist in Algeria is very extensive, he strongly recommended me to 
