_Hen_: A greenish-brown sparrow-like bird with two conspicuous whitish bars on the wing.
This bird is a winter visitor to the plains of Northern and Central India, and, to some extent, S. India. Natives call it the _Tuti_. It has a pleasing song, but is not a bird that obtrudes itself on the observer. Unless carefully watched for it is apt to be overlooked.
Jerdon writes of this species, "It visits the plains during October, and leaves in April. In March many are taken in fine breeding livery. In the extreme south I have chiefly seen it in bamboo jungle, feeding on the seeds of bamboos on several occasions, and so much is this its habit that the Telegu name signifies 'Bamboo sparrow.' In other parts of the country it frequents alike groves, gardens, and jungle, feeding on various seeds and grain; also not infrequently on flower buds and young leaves."
Eha does not include this species in his _Common Birds of Bombay_. Cunningham says it is fairly common in the gardens of Calcutta during the winter months. Jesse states that it is fairly common at Lucknow. At Lahore I observed it only in March and April.
81. _Gymnorhis flavicollis_: The Yellow-throated Sparrow. (F. 775), (J. 711), (I.)
A near relative of the common house sparrow. In appearance it is like a particularly tidy and slenderly built hen sparrow. It may be readily distinguished by its having a pale yellow patch on the throat, bright in the cock and dull in the hen.
This species frequents gardens, but is far less familiar in its behaviour than _Passer domesticus_. It nests in holes, usually in trees.
Not found so far east as Calcutta. In the Punjab it is a summer visitor, whither it repairs for breeding purposes.
82. _Passer domesticus_: The Common Sparrow or House Sparrow. (F. 776), (J. 706), (I.)
Description of this familiar and ubiquitous bird is quite superfluous. I give it merely for the sake of completeness.
_Cock_: Top of head and lower back ashy grey, throat black, cheeks and sides of neck pure white, streak over the eye and upper back chestnut, wings and tail brown, the former with a white bar; lower plumage dirty white.
_Hen_: A dull brown bird with dirty white under parts; reddish-white eyebrow and white wing bar.