518 FEINGILLrD^:. 



head, and the chestnut on the sides of the breast is not uniform, but 

 is mottled with yellow margins to the feathers. There is consider- 

 able variation in the colouring of the adult males, especially as 

 regards their facial markings. Some show little or no sign of the 

 chestnut line on the cheeks, while in others it is strongly developed, 

 and in one specimen from Hampshire, in the Gould collection, it is so 

 broad as to occupy nearly the whole of the cheeks. The time of 

 year, too, for the commencement of the change to spring plumage is 

 uncertain. Capt. Shelley shot a male on the 23rd of November 

 already far advanced towards the complete yellow head; whereas 

 other males killed in April show very little sign of the approaching 

 breeding-dress. 



Adult female in summer plumage. Differs from the male in the 

 less amount of yellow on the head and in the uniform dusky ear- 

 coverts ; the crown, even in full breeding-plumage, is dull ashy 

 olive-brown, closely streaked with black, and showing yellow bases 

 to the feathers when disturbed ; the head, however, never becomes 

 yellow ; lores dull yellowish ashy ; cheeks, throat, and underparts 

 pale yellowish, thickly marked on the cheeks with triangular little 

 black spots, taking the form of longitudinal stripes on the chest, 

 less distinct on the throat, which is ashy olive, and very distinct on 

 the flanks, which are rufous-brown. Total length 6 - 3 inches, 

 culmen 0-4, wing 3-2, tail 2*65, tarsus 075. 



Young in first winter plumage. Similar to the old female in winter, 

 but more yellow below and more distinctly streaked, especially on 

 the throat and flanks ; all the streaks on the upper surface also very 

 strongly pronounced. 



Specimens from Western Siberia and Persia have the wing- 

 coverts rather whiter at the ends than ordinary European examples. 



Hah. Europe generally, extending into "Western Siberia. 



a. 3 ad. var. sk. St. Davids, Pembrokeshire, Dr. Giinther [P.]. 



Sept. 9. 



b. 3 ad. sk. Delamere, Cheshire, July P. B. Sharpe, Esq. [P.]. 



14 (jF. Nicholson). 



c. J ad.sk. Cambridge, April 1 (O. S.). Sal vin-Godman Coll. 



d. 3 ad. sk. Cambridgeshire (J. Baker). Salvin-Godnian Coll. 

 e,f. c? ad. ; (/, h. Cambridgeshire. Mr. J. Baker [C.]. 



Pull. St. 

 i, k. 3 2 ad. st. Norfolk, June. Lord Walsingham [P.]. 



1. 3 ad. ; m, n. Saffron Walden, Essex. J. Clarke, Esq. [P.J. 

 Pull. St. 



o. 3 ad. st. Leicestershire. Theodore Walker, Esq. 



p, q. 3 2 ad. sk. Oxford, Feb. 4, 1878. R. B. Sharpe, Esq. [P.J. 



r. 3 ad. sk. Cookham, Berks. Gould Coll. 



s, t. 3 ad. sk. Cookham, Feb. 1874. R. B. Sharpe, Esq. [P.]. 



u, v. 3 ad. sk. Cookham, Jan. 24, 1879. R. B. Sharpe, Esq. [P. . 



w. 3 ad. st. Epping. H.Doubleday, Esq.[P.% 



x, y. 3 ad. sk. Colgate, Sussex, Dec. 23. R. B. Sharpe, Esq. [P.\ 



2, a'. 3 ad. sk. Lancing, Sussex, April 1. R. B. Sharpe, Esq. [P. . 

 b'. 3 ad. sk. Lancing, March 28. R. B. Sharpe, Esq. [P.J. 

 c', cl', e'. 3 ad. et Brighton, Sussex, Oct. R. B. Sharpe, Esq. [P. J. 



iinni. sk. 



