13. SPHYROPICUS. 197 



the latter margined and varied externally with black ; wings and 

 their coverts black, the outer coverts entirely or with the outer webs 

 white, and forming a consijicuous patch running parallel with the 

 edge of the wing ; outer webs of the middle primaries and the inner 

 webs of all the quills, except the innermost secondaries, spotted with 

 white ; shafts black ; tail and the shafts black ; head and neck, 

 chest, and sides of the breast blue-black, with a white stripe from 

 behind the eye to the side of the nape, and a second white stripe 

 from the white nasal plumes, which passes under the ear-coverts to 

 their end ; on the chin and upper part of the throat a longitudinal 

 spot of bright red ; middle of the breast and abdomen uniform deep 

 lemon -yellow ; sides of the body, flanks, thighs, and under tail-coverts 

 white, the body-feathers with bars and squamate markings of black, the 

 under tail-coverts varied with black stripes and squamate markings ; 

 under wing-coverts and axillaries white, the former having bars and 

 V-shaped markings of black, the latter bari'ed only : " iris brown " 

 {A. Forrer). Total length 8"S inches, culmen 1"05, wing 5-.5, tail 3-5, 

 tarsus 0'9 ; toes (without claws) — outer anterior 0'57, outer posterior 

 0'62, inner anterior 0*43, inner posterior 0'3. 



A male in plumage not fully mature has the red spot on the chin 

 and throat less vivid and with a slight orange tinge, and the white 

 stripe which borders the hind crown and the occiput unites upon the 

 nape with the corresponding stripe. 



The younger male has the spot upon the chin and upper throat white ; 

 the black of the plumage is almost devoid of gloss, and the middle 

 of the breast and the abdomen have only a slight lemon -yellow tinge. 



Adult female. Back and scapulars barred black and drabby white ; 

 rump and upper tail-coverts white, some of the latter externally 

 margined and barred on the outer web with black ; wings and their 

 coverts brownish black, the coverts spotted and barred with drabby 

 white, the quills spotted with white on both webs ; shafts nearly 

 black ; tail black, the central pair of feathers narrowly baiTed with 

 white upon both webs, the two outer large feathers on either side 

 with a few spots, more or less transverse, on the apical portion ; 

 shafts black ; nasal plumes, head, chin, and throat sandy rufous- 

 brown, darker on the top of the head and on the ear-coverts and 

 whiter in front of the eye, with a few black stripes on the occiput and 

 malar region ; the side of the neck, fore neck, and chest less rufous 

 than the head, the fore neck longitudinally spotted with black, 

 the side of the neck and the chest barred with black, the latter being 

 centred by a large black spot, glossed with greenish blue ; breast 

 and abdomen lemon-yellow, the sides of the body, flanks, and thighs 

 drabby white barred with black ; the under tail-coverts dull white, 

 with black squamate markings ; under wing-coverts and axillaries 

 white barred with black. Total length 7"8 inches, culmen 1"05, 

 wing 5'2, tail 3-05, tarsus 0*9. 



The immature female wants the black patch on the chest, this 

 being entirely barred ; the chin and throat are duller and less rufes- 

 cent, and the top of the head is dusky brown ; the occiput and nape 

 arr striped and transversely spotted with black. 



