Page:HouseSparrowHomeAbroad.djvu/21

Rh inflexed; palate vaulted and without knob; nostrils concealed by sparse, short, incumbent feathers ; sides of bill provided with stiff, appressed bristles. Tarsi short and stout, and never exceeding middle toes ; claws short, stout, and much curved. Wings somewhat pointed, and longer than the tail, which is nearly even, emarginated, and but moderately rounded.

''Sp. Char.'' Male: Upper parts chestnut-brown ; summit of caput and nape, lower back, rump and tail coverts cinereous ; interscapular feathers, on inner webs, streaked with black ; chin, throat, lores, and narrow frontal line black ; residue of inferior parts grayish, passing into white along the middle region. Behind the eye, running into the chestnut of the back, is a broad concolorous band ; cheeks and lateral walls of neck white. Exterior of closed wings chestnut-brown, with the middle coverts marked with a broad white band ; lesser coverts dark chestnut. Tail dark brown, bordered with pale chestnut. Mandibles black ; feet reddish ; iris brown.

Female: Duller colored and wanting the black of throat and face. Cheek cinereous; the eyes marked above and posteriorly by a yellow-ochre band. A similar colored band crosses the wings. Head and neck above ashy, tinged with brown ; body superiorly, reddish cinereous, with longitudinal black streaks ; breast and abdomen reddish-ash.

Length, 6.00; wing, 2.84; tail, 2.50; tarsus, .70; middle toe and claw, .60.