.1// Ri^i^lifs Reserved. .Dkcemrer, iq^o. 
BIRD NOTES: 
— - THE — - 
JOURNAL OF THE FOREIGN BIRD CLUB. 
Some Sparrows in My Aviaries. 
Bv W. Shore Bah.-^-. 
" 'I'lieni be Spa.^-.^'ers. What does he keep them for?" 
Thus s])oke one smah Ijoy to another, as they took a 
stolen view of one of niy aviaries. Sparrows they were 
alrii-jiit. Cinnamon Tree Sparrows (Passer ciniiamonicns) from 
Tntha, and, I)}- the casual observer they miijlil easily be mistaken 
for our Passer (laiiiestieiis. It is some years now since I owned 
these birds, an.d, althou.nh 1 believe that they bred with their 
former owner they certainlv did not do so with me. I do not 
think that any have been imported for a long- time. They are 
not very interesting'', neither are they handsome birds, and the 
dealers would probably find them difficult to sell. My cock 
bird proved delicate and did not live long. " As hardy as a 
.Sparrow "' does not an]:)ly to the foreign species, as I have, I 
tl;ink, had as many casualties amongst these birds as with the 
supposedly more delicate waxbills and finches. My Cinnamon 
hen. howex'er, lived several years, and during th.a.t time had 
many nests, on one occasion rearing a hybrid when mated with a 
cock Cape Sparrow. 
This year I purchased, along with a small flock of Cape 
Sjjarrows (Passer areuatns) two cocks that very closely 
resembled /' assc)' em iiaiiio)}! c Its , but were considerably larger. 
The following is a rough desc'-iption : Head, back, and wings 
rich rufous; centre of throat black; sides of neck and under- 
parts greyish-white; bill and feet black. 
Another unknown Sparrow received from Natal last year 
was as follows: Head and back greyish-brown; rump rufous; 
evel)rov.--streak buff; throat and underparts dirty white; bill 
black and very stout : feet flesh-coloured. Xo hens appear to 
have come over, and the question in mv mind is, whether thev 
