BROWN OR COMMON BUZZARD. 187 



the upper ; on the fore-neck spotted, on the breast barred with 

 white ; the tibial feathers brown, tipped with ferruginous. 



Length 21 A inches; extent of wings 50. 



These differences between the adult male and the adult 

 female I have found to be very constant, although individuals 

 of each sex vary considerably. 



Variations. — Males vary in having the w^hite of the lower 

 parts more or less extended, and the streaks and spots of 

 greater or less breadth. Sometimes the white is so extended 

 on both surfaces that it might be said to form the ground 

 colour, which is then merely spotted with brown. Females 

 differ also in the extent of the white spots and bars beneath, 

 but they are always darker and more uniformly coloured than 

 the males. Great differences are observed in the number of 

 the scutella, and I have seen a male, which had none on the 

 fore part of the tibia, it having been covered with small scales. 



The following tables shew the variations in the scutella and 

 digestive organs. 



M. M. M. M. F, F. F. 



Scutella of tarsus ...11 12 13 11 14 12 10 



Firsttoe 4 4 8 3 4 4 4 



Second toe 4 4 4 5 4 4 4 



Third toe 10 11 11 14 12 14 13 



Fourthtoe 5 4 6 8 7 7 6 



M. M. F. F. F. F. 



(Esophagus in length, 7? 6 8 6 8 8 



Crop in width 2i 3 2 3 8 



Stomach 3 2 2 3 3 



Intestine 51 52 56 52 54 55 



^06Ca y g i'j2 i"<j 12 12 



Changes of Plumage. — The moult sometimes commences 

 very early, so that even by the middle of jNIay I have seen it 

 far advanced ; but in general it is not completed until the be- 

 ginning of w'inter. AVhen the feathers are old they become 

 very ragged and pointed, change from deep glossy brown to 



