(S9) 

 The HoufeSparrow^ Paffer domefticus; 2/^ 



Numb. LXII. 



ITS Weight is fixteen Drams; Length from the Bill to the End of the Tail fix Inches'- 

 and a half ; the Breadth when extended is nine Inches and a half; the Bill is thick, 

 theCock black at the Corners of the Mouth, and between the Eyes yellowifli ; in the Hen 

 dusky, fcarce half an Inch long ; the Eyes hazel coloured, the Legs and Feet of a duiky 

 Fiefli Colour, the Claws black; the Head is ofadufky blue, or afh Colour, and the- 

 Chin black ; above the Eyes are two fmall white Spots, and from the Eyes a broad Line 

 of a Bay Colour. The Feathers growing about the Ears are afh coloured, the Throat 

 (below the black Spot) of a whitifh afh Colour ; under the Ears on each Side is a long 

 ■white Spot. The lower Breaft and Belly are white, and the Feathers dividing between the 

 Back and Neck, on the outfide Shaft are red, on the infide black, but toward their 

 Bottoms fomething of a white terminates the red. The reft of the Back and Rump are 

 of a Mixture of dufky green and dark a£h Colour. 



The Hen Bird wants the black Spot under the Throat, as alfo the white Spots on the 

 Neck and above the Eyes; its Head and Neck are of the fame Colour with the Rump j . 

 the nether fide of the Body is of a duiky white, and inftead of the white Line crofs. thc- 

 Wir.gs, it hath black Feathers with paleredifh Tips, the Colours in general of the Hen. 

 not being fo fair and lively as thofe of the Cock. 



Each Wing hath eighteen quill Feathers, duiky, with red! (h Edges, and from the Baf-- 

 tard Wing a broad white Line is extended to the next Joint ; above this Line the Covert 

 Feathers of the Wings are of a rediih brown ; beneath they have their middle Parts 

 black, and their exterior Edges red. The Tail hath twelve Feathers, and is two Inches 

 and a quarter long, the middlemoft being fomething fhorter than the reft ; all of a duiky 

 black Colour, with redifh Edges. The Guts are nine Inches long, the blind Guts very, 

 ihort; its Stomach mufculous, it feeding upon Wheat, Oats and other Grain; its Tefticles 

 are large, as is alfo the Womb of the Female, it being a falacious Bird, and for that Rea- 

 fon is reported to be iliort lived. 



This Kind of Bird doth fometimes vary in Colour: Aldrovandus makes mention of a : 

 white £^parrow and a yellow Sparrow ; I had one of the white kind to draw from Mr. 

 Nathaniel Gldham ; likewife the Copper coloured Sparrow, at North Bearly in TorkJJoire, in 

 the FolTeilion of the curious Dr. Richardjbn. Their Phyfical Ufe is faid to provoke Ve= 

 nery. 



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