425. Passer italiAe

425. ITALIAN SPARROW.
PASSER ITALIAE.
Passer italioe (Vieill.), Nouv. Dict. xii. p. 199 ; Dresser, iii. p. 585, pl. 176, fig. 2 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xii. p. 315 ; P. cisalpina (Temm.), Man. d'Orn. p. 351 (1820) ; (Gould), B. of E. iii. pl. 185 ; fig 2.
Moineau cisalpin, French ; Passera, Ital.
Male ad. (Genoa). Differs from P. domesticus in having the upper parts rather brighter coloured, the cheeks whiter, the entire crown and nape rich chestnut-red, and the under parts rather whiter. Culmen 0.45, wing 3.1, tail 2.45, tarsus 0.78 inch. In the winter the feathers on the crown have dull greyish margins, and the bill is dull yellowish, net black. The female closely resembles the female of P. domesticus.
Hab. The mainland of Italy south of the Alps ; Corsica ; Malta.
In habits and nidification it resembles P. domesticus.