462 PLECTROPHANES NIVALIS. 



over the eye. The hind-neck is greyish-brown. The feathers 

 of the back are deep black, broadly margined with yellowish- 

 grey ; those of the rump similar, but margined with reddish. 

 The smaller wing-coverts are white, as are the edges and tips 

 of the secondary coverts, and a broad band, enlarging inwards 

 and including the basal portion of all the quills, excepting the 

 three inner secondaries, the other secondaries being almost en- 

 tirely white ; the rest of the wing brownish-black, the feathers 

 slightly edged with white. The middle tail-feathers are black- 

 ish-brown, edged with brownish- white, the three lateral on 

 each side almost entirely white, having only a dark streak along 

 the shaft some way down from the tip. The lower parts are 

 pure white, excepting the throat and sides, which are tinged 

 w^ith chestnut. The concealed part of the plumage is greyish- 

 black. 



Lengih to end of tail Gj'-j inches ; extent of wings 13 ; bill 

 along the ridge i%, along the edge of lower mandible ^% ; wing 

 from flexure 4/77 ; tail 2^§; tarsus 9^ twelfths; first toe y\, 

 its claw oi twelfths ; second toe 4^ twelfths, its claw Si 

 twelfths ; third toe y%, its claw 4^ twelfths ; fourth toe 4i 

 twelfths, its claw^ 3i twelfths. 



Female. — The female has the colours duller, with less white. 

 The head is dark chestnut-brown, the hind-neck yellowish - 

 grey ; the black of the dorsal feathers is not nearly so pure, 

 and their margins are light yellowish-brown ; the small wing- 

 coverts are dusky, the first row tipped with dull white. The 

 white band on the wing is tinged with dusky, and of much less 

 extent, being conspicuous only on seven of the quills. The 

 tail is brownish-black, the white of its lateral feathers very dull, 

 and of less extent. The sides of the neck are dark yellowish- 

 grey, the throat paler, the fore-neck dull chestnut, the breast, 

 abdomen, and lower tail-coverts greyish- white, the sides tinged 

 with chestnut. 



Length to end of tail 6j inches ; extent of wings 12^, 

 wing from flexure 4/j ; tail S^^^ '■> bill along the ridge 4^ 

 twelfths, along the edge of lower mandible 5^ twelfths ; tarsus 

 9i twelfths ; hind toe and claw j% ; third toe and claw ^g. 



