190 piciD^. 



parallel with the edge of the wing ; quills tipped and spotted with 

 white on both webs ; shafts black ; tail black, the inner webs of the 

 central pair of feathers partially white and barred with black, the 

 two outer large feathers on either side externally margined with 

 greyish white ; shafts black ; forehead and crown, chin, and throat 

 crimson ; occiput black ; hind neck black, with longitudinal spots 

 of white ; face and side of the neck, fore neck and chest (except the 

 sides of the latter) blue-black, with a white stripe from behind the 

 eye, uniting on the nape with the corresponding one, and another 

 white stripe from the base of the upper mandible, passing under the 

 ear-coverts and down the side of the neck ; the lores and nasal plumes 

 white ; under surface of the body pale sulphur-yellow, the sides, 

 flanks, and thighs smoky brown, with stripes and sagittate markings 

 of black ; under tail-coverts yellowish white, a few being striped 

 with black ; under wing-coverts yellowish white with dusky V-shaped 

 markings ; axillaries smoky white with faint dusky stripes. Total 

 length 8 inches, culmen 1, wing 5, tail 2-9, tarsus 0-8 ; toes (without 

 claws) — outer anterior 0'5, outer posterior 0'57, inner anterior 

 0*4, inner posterior 0-25, 



Adult female. Differs from the adult male in having the chin and 

 throat white. Total length 7-8 inches, culmen 0-95, wing 4-75, 

 tail 2-7, tarsus 0-72. 



The various plumages may be given as follows ; — 



1st Plumage — Nestling. Has no red whatever upon the top of the 

 head or on the chin and throat ; the head and neck are dusky brown, 

 spotted with dingy whitish, except the chin and upper throat which 

 are dull white ; there is a dull white superciliary stripe and another 

 white stripe under the eye and ear-coverts ; there is no black cres- 

 centic patch on the chest, the whole of the under surface of the 

 body (except the middle of the breast and the abdomen, which are 

 yellowish white) being smoky brown, with crescent-shaped or bar- 

 like markings of dusky black ; the black on the upper parts is less 

 intense. 



2)id Stage. In autumn the forehead and crown are still dusky 

 brown, with paler brown or brownish-white stripe-like spots, but 

 some of the feathers are tipped with red, and in the males some of 

 the feathers of the chin and throat are also tipped with red ; the 

 black feathers appear on the occiput, and an occasional black feather 

 is found on the chest ; the middle of the breast and the abdomen 

 and vent are yellower. 



3rcZ Stage — Spring. In the female the feathers of the forehead 

 and crown become black, with small stripe-like spots of white, and 

 tipped with red. The chest becomes black ; the white on the upper 

 parts is stiU deeply washed with yellowish brown. 



Ath Stage. — Autumn. In both sexes the feathers of the forehead 

 and crown are tipped with crimson and have black bases and devoid 

 of white spots ; the throat in the male is crimson and the feathers 

 bordering the gular patch, as well as those comprising the auricular 

 stripe, are becoming deep black ; the back is still washed with yel- 

 lowish brown. 



