PETRONIA BRACHYDACTYLA. 
(DESERT ROCK-SPARROW.) 
Petronia brachydactyla, Bp. Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 513 (1850). 
Fringilla brachydactyla, Hempy. in Mus. Berol. fide Bp. ut supra (1850). 
Pyrenestes?, Gray, Carpodacus, Bp., lacteus, v. Miill. Naumannia, 1851, iv. p. 29. 
Carpospiza longipennis, v. Mill. Beitr. Orn. Afr. taf. 10, J. f. Orn. 1854, p. 445. 
Carpospiza brachydactyla (Bp.), Cab. J. f. Orn. 1854, p. 446. 
Euplectes’ griseus, Heugl. Syst. Uebers. p. 39. no. 386 (1856). 
Figura unica. 
Tbis, 1868, pl. vi. 
3 ad. corpore supra fusco-arenaceo, pileo saturatiore: strid superciliari indistinct4: remigibus fuscis, pallidé 
isabellino apicatis, primariis augusté et secundariis latius rufescente cervino marginatis: tectricibus 
alarum sordidé fuscis, pallidé isabellino terminatis: caudé saturaté fusca, rectricibus omnibus, cen- 
tralibus exceptis, in pogonio interno ad apicem pallidé isabellino notatis et rectricibus duabus externis 
in pogonio externo isabellino-albidis: corpore subtts albo, gutture, pectore et hypochondriis isabellino- 
cervino lavatis: subcaudalibus sordidé fuscescentibus, conspicué albo marginatis: rostro fusco-corneo, 
mandibula albida: iride fuscé: pedibus sordidé flavidis. 
2 ad. haud a mari distinguenda. 
Adult Male (S. Persia, June). Upper parts sandy isabelline-brown, the crown rather darker; above the eye 
passes an indistinct superciliary stripe; quills brown, tipped with creamy white, the primaries narrowly 
and the secondaries more broadly margined with rufous buff; wing-coverts dull brown, margined with 
creamy white ; tail dark brown, all, except the central feathers, with a terminal creamy white patch on 
the inner web, the outermost feather on each side with the outer web creamy white; underparts white ; 
the throat, breast, and flanks washed with creamy buff; under tail-coverts dull brown, broadly margined 
with white; under mandible fleshy white; upper mandible horn-brown; iris dark brown; legs dull 
yellowish. Total length about 4°75-5 inches, culmen 0:4, wing 3°5, tail 1°85, tarsus 0°75. 
Adult Female. Resembles the male. 
Tue range of this small, somewhat aberrant species of Rock-Sparrow is rather limited ; for it is 
only met with in Palestine, North-east Africa, and Persia. First discovered by Hemprich and 
Ehrenberg in Arabia, it was determined by them to be a distinct species, and labelled Fringilla 
brachydactyla; but no description was published, and the name remained merely a museum name 
until 1850, when Bonaparte included it in his ‘Conspectus.’ Canon Tristram met with it in 
Palestine, and obtained its eggs near Damascus and near Zebdany. ‘‘ One day,” he writes (Ibis, 
1868, p. 205), “when we were encamped near Kulat-esh-Shukif, I was returning from a long 
611 
