166 WiivD Birds and their Haunts 



on the back, and therewith slight greenish reflections ; 

 secondaries white ; the back of the neck tinted with grey ; 

 the fore part of the neck below the ruff, breast, belly, and 

 vent, silvery white ; sides of the breast and flank, dashed 

 with brown and chestnut. 



It is noticed that the young birds want the ruff and the 

 deeper rufous tints in the plumage, and it used to be 

 considered that these were the distinctions of the nuptial 

 dress, but in specimens kept by the Ornithological Society 

 the ruff has been retained throughout the year in one or 

 two instances. 



It would be exceedingly interesting to know at what age 

 this bird retains a permanent set of plumes. 



