74 



FRINGILLID<E. 



Sparrow is a most prolific species, a pair frequently produc- 

 ing, on a fair estimation, above five and twenty young ones 

 in the season ; four broods of six or seven being not unusual. 



The entire length of the House Sparrow is five inches and 

 a half. The beak is thick and blunt, and measures five lines 

 and a half from the tip to the forehead : the nostrils are 

 placed close to the base of the beak, are round, and covered 

 with hairs directed forward, and the gape is furnished with 

 bristles. The wing measures from the carpus to the tip 

 three inches one line, and the second quill feather is rather 

 the longest. The tail extends an inch and a half beyond the 

 closed wings ; and the feathers are equal in length. The 

 tarsi measure about seven lines, and the toes and claws are 

 thick and short. 



In the adult male the crown of the head, nape, and sides 

 of the breast are slate-colour ; the chin, throat, region of the 

 eyes, and upper part of the breast, deep black, the feathers on 

 the latter part edged with grey : behind the eye is a small 

 spot of pure white. The ear-coverts are greyish-white ; be- 

 hind them is a broad band of deep chesnut, extending up- 

 wards over the eye ; the feathers in the back and scapulars 

 are black in the centre, edged with deep chesnut, and bay : 

 the lesser wing-coverts are chesnut, the lowest row broadly 

 tipped with white, forming a bar : the rest of the wing-feathers 

 are black, edged with chesnut-brown ; the lower part of the back 

 and upper coverts greenish-grey. The tail-feathers are dark- 

 brown, edged with yellowish-brown ; the under parts of the 

 plumage pale ash-grey. The legs are bluish-brown. The 

 iris is hazel ; the beak dusky in summer, base yellowish 

 in winter. 



In the female the crown of the head and upper parts of the 

 body are greenish-brown, the centre of each feather on the 

 back and scapulars dusky ; the lower row of the lesser coverts 

 tipped with dirty-white : the wings and tail much as in the 



