464 ASIO BRACIIYOTUS. 



neck with oblong, the breast and sides with linear dark-brown 

 markings ; the upper part of the throat, the abdomen, lower 

 tail-coverts, legs and feet without spots. The lower surface of 

 the wing is yellowish-white ; some of the coverts with a brown 

 spot ; the quills broadly banded with dusky toward the end. 



Length to end of tail 15 inches ; to end of wings 17 ; extent 

 of wings 88 ; bill along the ridge 1 j^g ; along the edge of lower 

 mandible 1/^ '■> wing from flexure llf ; tail 6| ; tarsus l^'^u ; 

 first toe ■{'^^ its claw ^% ; second toe l^^g, its claw {g ; third 

 toe li^^, its claw i% ; fourth toe ^%, its claw |^g. 



Female. — The female is considerably larger than the male, 

 but similar in colouring, the upper parts have their brown 

 markings lighter, the lower parts of a richer tint, and with 

 broader streaks. The oesophagus five and a half twelfths long, 

 nearly an inch in width when inflated. The stomach two 

 inches and a quarter in diameter. The intestine twenty-three 

 inches and a half in length, from four twelfths to two twelfths 

 in width ; the rectum wide, its dilatation globular. The cceca 

 two inches and three fourths in length ; the greatest width half 

 an inch, the smallest nearly one twelfth. 



Length to end of tail 16 inches, to end of wings 18 ; ex- 

 tent of wings 40. 



Variations. — Individuals vary in the tints of their plumage, 

 the ground colour being yellowish-red, bufl', or yellowish -white; 

 but the differences are not very remarkable. 



Habits. — This species may be considered as permanently re- 

 sident in Britain ; for although towards the end of October 

 there is an immigration from the north, and in spring a cor- 

 responding diminution takes place, yet many individuals breed 

 in the country. It is by no means an extremely rare bird ; but 

 probably the circumstance of its residing in exposed places ren- 

 ders it more easily detected, which may be the reason why more 

 specimens should be obtained of it than of any other, in pro- 

 portion to their respective numbers. In winter it is dispersed 

 over the country from the northern parts of Scotland to the 



