Sonic Sf^nrron's In My Ai'iarics. 
Three oilier varieties of Sparrow 1 b.ave liad this year— 
tlie Yellow-throated Sparrow (Pctrona pctroncUa), the Lesser 
Rock Sparrow (I', di-ntata). and the Crey-headed Sparrow 
d'asscr iii/fiisiis). All these Sparrows are known occasionally 
hv the dealers' names of Swainson's Sparrows. 
/'. pctroncUa is a rather lari^-e but slenderly-lniilt bird, 
havin.i;- a wide butifish-white eyebrow-stripe .and a small spot of 
vellow on the throat. Its habitat is. 1 l)elieve, Xatal and the 
East Coast. 
Pctrona dcutata is a similarly coloured bird, but nmch 
smaller, and, in some specimens the yellow-spot on the throat 
is wantin.^-. Habitat. Senei^-al and the West Coast. A much 
more freely imported bird than the last named. 
Passer diffusus is probably the commonest of the three 
species, as there are nearly always a few with every shipment 
of Sene.yal birds. In this bird the head and underparts are 
g-rey: the back find upper part rufous-brown, two narrow bands 
of white crossinj^- the wint^s. It is about the size of Passer 
(ionicsticiis. but more slenderly built, and has a more slender 
beak. I have no doubt that all these birds have bred at one 
time or other in our members" aviaries, but they have not done 
so with me. I hope next season to !s''et better luck. 
■ <>^>^ 
Some Birds I have hept. 
By Wesley T. Page, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 
Bl.\ck-he..\ded Sib fa (Malacias capistrata). 'My pair of 
this species was obtained from one of the consignments the 
late Col., then Capt.. Perreau used to brint;' over when visiting 
the home-country on furlous^h. I remember the event as if it 
were yesterday — I was then livinj:^ in London, and Perreau 
brou.Qht the birds (with others) himself, and from their travel- 
linti'-cai^e we released them strait^ht into the aviary, and my 
delight in them was such that it astonished even my worthy 
friend, who was a bit of an enthusiast himself, and my admira- 
tion for the species has not waned, though I have not possessed 
the species since 1 left London; but I intend to make an attempt 
to breed them as soon as the fates are kind enough to permit ! 
