238 MOTACILLA BOARULA. 



male. The bill a little paler. QEsophagus two inches and a half 



long ; stomach eight-twelfths ; intestine six and a half inches. 



Length to end of tail 7{^ inches ; extent of wings 10 ; bill 



along the ridge 5| twelfths; tarsus |§ ; middle toe and claw i^. 



Male in Spring. — A change takes place in March, by which 

 the colour of the throat is altered, the greyish-white feathers 

 of that part being substituted by others which are deep black, 

 but slightly margined with whitish. This black patch is se- 

 parated on each side from the grey of the neck by a white band 

 which runs down from the base of the bill. The other feathers 

 remain unaltered until the general autumnal moult. 



Length of an individual 7| ; extent of wings 10^; bill along 

 the ridge j%, along the edge of lower mandible j% ; tarsus 9? 

 twelfths ; middle toe and claw 9| twelfths. 



FexMale in Spring. — The female undergoes a similar change, 

 the throat becoming dark grey, mottled with yellowish-grey. 

 Length 7i ; extent of wings 9f . 



Changes in the Plumage. — After the autumnal moult, the 

 grey of the upper parts is tinged with green, the margins of the 

 feathers being of that colour ; but some months after this tint 

 has nearly disappeared, and by the month of July the upper 

 parts are pure grey. The quills, which are at first edged with 

 pale brown, also lose their margins, as do the smaller coverts, 

 when the wing becomes of a uniform dark tint, although the 

 whitish outer edgings of the inner secondaries are never entirely 

 obliterated. The yellow of the lower parts, which is at first 

 deeply tinged with red on the breast, becomes purer and 

 brighter, but towards the end of summer paler. The tail- 

 feathers are then much worn at the point, so that birds mea- 

 sured at that period are several twelfths shorter than in winter. 



Habits. — Like the old man and the ass, I would fain please 

 all the world ; but the little experience which I have had, and 

 the moderate portion of good sense which I possess, suffice to 

 warn me of the impracticability of such a scheme. I have 



