122 ROCK SPARROW. 



in Anlialt. It is included in Savi's "Birds of Tuscany," 

 but it does not appear to be a common bird there. 

 Count Miihle says that it is solitary in the whole of 

 Greece on the bare stone walls, and very plentiful 

 throughout the Grecian Islands. Lord Lilford, in his 

 description of birds observed by him in the Ionian 

 Islands, ("Ibis," vol. ii, p. 187,) says that he observed 

 several of these birds in the Acrocerannian Mountains, 

 in May, 1857, and in Montenegro in August of the 

 same year. It was found by Captain Loche in the 

 three provinces of Algeria; and is included by Mr. 

 Tristram in his list of the birds of Southern Palestine, 

 where it is observed everywhere on the bare stony 

 hills. Dr. Leith Adams informs me that it is very 

 common in Sicily, occasionally visits Malta in the 

 spring, and is abundant in AfFghanistan. 



According to Naumann, to whose invaluable work I 

 am indebted for most of the following information, it 

 is a stationary bird in mild climates and a migratory 

 one in cold countries. They associate in small flocks 

 rather than greater multitudes, which are at all events 

 never seen in Germany. In the Rhinegau, especially 

 near Wiesbaden, they are observed in autumn on fruit 

 trees by the sides of the roads, and in corn-fields, in 

 flocks. Brehm mentions flocks of about ten. They 

 choose mountainous places for their residence, where, 

 among rocks and ruins they love to dwell. In 

 winter they mix with other birds, and are seen about 

 the roads and villages, but it does not appear that 

 they visit farm-yards. In autumn they are found in 

 stubble-fields. They appear to avoid level land. At 

 night they sleep in holes of walls and ruins, always 

 choosing a hole with a very narrow entrance, and 

 shew their sociable qualities by selecting places near 



