346 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
Length 6 inclies, tail 2*6, wing tarsus '8, bill from gape '5, The 
female is rather smaller. 
The Common Rose-Finch is recorded from Arrakan by Mr. Blyth ; and 
my men, who accompanied Mr. Theobald in an excursion over the hills of 
that Division_, procured me one specimen. In Pegu Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay 
observed it at Tonghoo and in the Karin hills^ and Mr. Hume states that 
he has received it from Thayetmyo. It has not yet been found in any 
other part of the Province. It is a winter visitor to Burmah. 
In winter this Finch is found in China and over the greater portion of 
India. In the summer it resorts to Northern Asia and Europe^ extending 
occasionally even into Great Britain. 
The nest is described as being cup-shaped_, loosely made of dry bents and 
occasionally lined with hair. It is placed in bushes, generally thorny ones. 
The eggs, usually five in number_, are bluish green, marked with reddish 
black. , 
This Rose-Finch is found in open country and appears to be very partial 
to bamboo-jungle, on the seeds of which plants it feeds. Dr. Jerdon 
says : — ^^It frequents alike groves, gardens and jungles, feeding on various 
seeds and grain ; also not unfrequently on flower-buds and young leaves. 
. . . Now and then it is seen in large flocks, but in general it associates in 
small parties.''"' 
Subfamily FRINGILLINtE. 
Genus PASSER, Brisson, 
328. PASSER INDICUS. 
THE INDIAN HOUSE-SPARROW. 
Passer indicus, Jard. Sr Selhy, III. Orn. iii. pi. 118 ; Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 362; Hume, 
Nests and Eggs, p. 457 ; Bl. B. Burm. p. 93 ; Hume, S. F. iii. p. 156 ; Hume 
8f Dav. S. F. vi. pp. 406, 620 ; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 169 ; Bingham, S. F. viii. 
p. 195. Passer domesticus (Linn.), Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 600; Hume, 8. F. 
viii. p. 107; Scully, S. F. viii. p. 333. 
Description. — Male. Head from forehead to nape ashy grey ; lores and 
round the eye blackish ; cheeks, ear-coverts and sides of neck pure white ; 
a broad streak from the eye over the ear-coverts, and passing partially 
round the end o£ them, chestnut ; chin, throat and the central portion of 
the breast black, some of the lowermost feathers margined with ashy ; re- 
mainder of lower plumage ashy white ; back and scapulars chestnut, the 
terminal two thirds of the inner webs black ; rump and upper tail-coverts 
