49 



FINCH. 



B.— Passer flavus, Bris. iii. 78. Id. 8vo. i. 328. Will. 182. 

 Yellow Sparrow, Gen. Syn. iii. 251. Will. Engl. 249. 



This is yellow, with a tinge of chestnut on the upper parts : one, 

 in the Leverian Museum, is wholly of a yellow cream-colour. 



C. — Fringilla tota nigricans, Ind. Orn. i. 433. 

 Black Sparrow, Gen. Syn, iii. p. 251. 



Sparrows, more or less of a black colour, are common in many 

 collections. One, in the Leverian Museum, had the bill of a deep 

 yellow : and I believe that the black variety is full as common as the 

 white one, though in general the colour has been dull; but Mr. 

 Tunstall informed me, that he has seen one, which was of as deep 

 and glossy a black as that of the Crow. 



We believe the House Sparrow to be common to every part of 

 Europe, at least its name is on record in every Fauna ; we can 

 trace it as far southward as Gibraltar, where it swarms, and is very 

 mischievous in gardens, more so, indeed, of late than formerly, as it 

 is supposed to have increased, by means of the greater number of 

 horses which have been kept there, and which has introduced a larger 

 supply of grain for these insolent freebooters. Found also northward 

 as far as Drontheim, in Norway, in plenty; but, as if destined to 

 subsist on the labours of the agriculturist, are very rare, and entirely 

 wanting in places not occupied by mankind ; and it is said that they 

 were unknown in the greatest part of Siberia, before the Russians 

 attracted them by the cultivation of corn.* 



2— CISALPINE SPARROW. 



Fringilla Cisalpina, Tern. Man Ed. ii. p. 351. 



Passer volgaire, Gerin. Orn. pi. 340. f. 2. male — fig. 1. White Var. 



IN this, the top of the head, the nape, and upper part of the 

 back are bright chestnut, and, when in fine condition, the feathers are 



* Arct. Zoo/, ii. 382. 

 vol. vi. H 



