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Pyrgita Petroriia. .
D O U B T F V L 3 Ir § R II O V*,
To Gi:p;i4iec soutcie.
We have followed i.bc example of many previous' ornithologists in aaueiaying this bird with those tormina tlw
restricted gcinili Ptfrgka, or true Sparrows, although we doubt ¡lie propriety or to doing, as v.c thiol that it
jiossessra peeoll« i M H wbi,-b wtadtl entitle it to rank as the type of a separate genus. its strong
conical bill, ' lengthened wing, and abbreviated tail are uot in strict unison ivitb the generic characters of
P yrgita; but ivo have refrained from separating it,: bcii g desirous o f obtaining further iufoi.i.a'i,..
respecting its habits and rammers, which doubtless differ in many pnrtienbtrs from those of the Spam"'
the typical form of which is represented by the euiyum.fi' specie? inhabiting Eng!nut. I...V ,,f
characters alluded to as difii ring from those o f Pyrgita, we may add that in this genus the markings ami
colour o f the plumage o f the sexes are very different, while I.i the sexes of the present bird iio outward
variations are perceptibfe.
Dr. Shaw informs us in his General Zoology, vol. i.v. part ii. p. i:‘ that ■ ¡bj (jK r, ,, , ,,
greatest part o f Europe, in the southern portions o f wbicb-it is migratory, bat is nowhere so common as in
Germany. It is not found in this country; it affects woods, and builds in the holes of trees, laying four or
five eggs, and feeds on seeds and insects. These birds are very delicate, as numbers are often, found den. I ii
tree» in the winter, during which >ticne they assemble in fi('-cks.’f
The top o f the head w lon^iftfidinally baoiled with greyish white tinged with yellow,.which { ■•
each o f the feathers o f t h * M w l npoer surface; wing» brown 5 the aewwdarwfl aed
with yellowish white j pwcnajrtu». „rind t;:i3 ixro’Qu with the out^r webs margined with veHowisb white; eh.*
inner webs o f all the f e o t t o «?*% two <>«es, having a for ■ v - . o f tA m 0« h- it»
extremity; under surface <j«wU.y. diiii*, m m d ddjjpitoo ilw duiifes WilMe ,m
one yellow at the base and brews at tht *h ii ,.h i h - >,
We have figured a male o f the natural swe.