MOUSE’SPARROW.
D escription.
F e m a l i .
N" 88. Ceylon F. N ' 93. Azure-headed F.
89. Brown-throated F. 94. Blue-crowned F.
90. Fire F. 93. Lunar F.
91. Blue-faced F. 96. Green-rumped F.
92. Blue-headed F.
BI R D S of this genus have the bill perfe&ly conic, flender
towards the end, and very fharp-pointed : differing from the
Grojbeaks in which the bill is rounded from the bafe to the point-
of each mandible.
Fringilla domeftica, Lin. Syfl. i. p. 323. 36. — Faun. Suit. 242. — Seep. an*.
, i. N” 220— Bruit. N° 264— Muller, N" 263 Kraut, el. p. 369. 10.
— Olin. uc. pi. in p. 42.— Fri/ch. pi. 8__Gecrgi Reife, p. 174.
Le Moineau franc. Brif. orn. iii. p. 72. 1. — Buf. eif. iii. p. 474. pi. 29.
F* I* FV. enl. vi. f. 1. (the adult). 53. f. 1. (the young bird).
Houfe Sparrow, Rail Syn. p. 86. — m il. cm. p. 249. pi. 44. — Albin. i.
pi. 62.— Br. Zool. N° 127. pi. |H— BrB, Zool.
Br, Muf. Lev, Muf,
§ I Z E well known: length five inches and three quarters. Bill
rather flout, dufky, the bafe yellowifh : irides hazel: the general
colour on the upper parts reddifh brown mixed with black j
the under, pale dirty afh-colour : crown of the head afh-colour:
between the bill and eyes, and round the lafl, black: chin,
and fore part of the neck, black, a little intermixed with grey :
wing coverts chefnut and black mixed, with a paler bar acrofs
them : quills dufky, with rufous edges : tail deep brown edged
with grey, and a little forked : legs grey brown.
The female, above, is of the fame colour as the male, but much
more
F I N C H.
more obfcure : behind the eye a white flreak: no black on the
throat: the under parts dingy white, or pale afh-colour.
This bird is well known, being everywhere common about our Y akkers?
houfeS, where it builds in every place it can find admittance
s under the roof, corner of the brick-work, or hole in the
wall *. Makes a flovenly nefl: generally a little hay, ill put together,
and lined well with feathers. The eggs are five or fix in
number, of a reddifh white colour, fpotted with brown. Will
fometimes build in the neighbouring trees ; but. in this cale take
more pains with the neflj and will not unfrequently drive the
Martins from theirs, to fave the trouble of conftrufting one of
their own. Has in general three broods in a year.
This fpecies, from frequenting only habitations, and parts adjacent
t , may be faid to be chiefly fed from human induftry j for,
in fpite of every precaution, it will partake with the Pigeons,
Poultry, &c. in the food thrown out to them ; grain of all kinds
being the food belt adapted to its tafte X i npt but it: will eat
worms, and refufe from the kitchen of moft kinds. It is a familiar
but crafty bird, and will not fo eafily come into a fhare as
many others. In' autumn often colled into flocks, and rooft in
« Many people have fmall pots fattened againft then: houfes, for thefe birds to
build in.
t It is found among the rocks beyond Lake Baikal, and in the fouthern
mountains; but it is faid, that in the greateft part of Sihiria there were none,
before the Ruffians began to cultivate there.— Mr. Pennant.
It is an extreme fcarce bird in fome of the vales about theKtfiaick mountains,
where there is little grain, and few inhabitants.—Dr. Heyjbam.
J It has been calculated, that a Sparrow will confume twenty pounds of wheat
in a year.
Vol. II. K k numbers