INTRODUCTION.

Ixxxil
the Broadhill, on Aberdeen links, on the 17th of August 1867.” This specimen was subsequently sent to
Ie roc ’ 2 5
oe oe rical Society of London on the 27th January

Professor Newton for exhibition at the Meeting of the Zoological S$ J uary,

1870. More recently a second example, taken near Brighton, was exhibited at a Meeting of the same
O/U. 1 4) oe : 7

Society by George Dawson Rowley, Esq.

Family FRINGILLID.

The Finches are a family of birds comprising a larger number of members than the Buntings and the
Larks, and are even more widely dispersed over the earth’s surface than those of any other group. Ina
work limited to the birds of our own islands, it would be out of place to give an enumeration of even the
genera into which they have been separated ; and I therefore confine my remarks to sucli forms as are

found in Britain.

Subfamily FRINGILLIN.
Genus Passer.

The true Sparrows are principally confined to the northern parts of the Old World. Asia is inhabited by

several species, and Europe by four or five, two of which frequent the British Islands.

162. Passer DOMESTICUS . : : 3 : : E : : : : Vol. TI. Bl. xoxo

Common or House-Sparrow.

Distributed generally, but somewhat scarce in the northern parts of Scotland. A bird whose faults are
few in number, and respecting which a sad mistake was made when certain parochial authorities placed a
price upon its head; for the good it effects in spring by the capture of insects far outweighs the value of the

few grains of corn in a pulpy state which it occasionally takes.

163. Passer monranus . : : a

: : : : : . Vol. III. Pl. XXXII.

Tree-Sparrow.

A local species, and consequently much less widely diffused over the British Islands than the preceding :
not so, however, with regard to its general distribution; for it is as common at Shanghai and other parts of

China as it is in Europe. Both in Scotland and Ireland it is local and rare.

Genus Frineriya.

The members of this cenns ee :
ers of this genus of pretty birds as now restricted are but few jn number. They all inhabit

the northern ; ae Bac : :
1e northern and western portions of the Old World. England is frequented by two species.

ALN SD AIS