39. RECURVIROSTKA. 329 



Adult male. General colour above varied with black and white : the 

 upper part of the mantle and scapulars black ; the rest of the back, 

 rump, and upper tail-coverts pure white, as also the outer scapulars, 

 which form a white band on each side of the lateral black bands on the 

 back ; small wing-coverts along the carpal edge of the wing white, 

 median coverts black, forming a broad band down the wing ; bastard- 

 wing and greater coverts puro white ; primary-coverts white with 

 black tips, the inner ones pure white ; outer primaries blackish with 

 white at the base, the inner ones pure white as well as the second- 

 aries, the innermost secondaries blackish ; tail-feathers pale ashy- 

 grey, the outermost feathers whitish ; crown of head black, extending 

 in a broad line to the hind-neck ; lores also blackish, and the feathers 

 below the eye, sides of face and ear-coverts, sides of neck, and entire 

 under surface of body, including the under wing-coverts, axillaries, 

 and quill-lining, pure white : " bill black ; feet and toes pale blue ; 

 iris reddish brown " (Howard Saunders). Total length 16-5 inches, 

 culmen 3*3, wing 8 - 6, tail 3, tarsus 3. 



Adult female. Similar to the male in plumage. Total length 

 17 inches, culmen 3 - 15, wing 9, tail 3'55, tarsus 3 - 3. 



In winter both the old and young birds appear to have the white 

 of the upper parts sullied with grey, and the black of the head is 

 confined to the crown, not reaching beyond the nape ; some spe- 

 cimens, probably young ones, have a good deal of brown mixed with 

 the black of the upper parts. The tail is light grey in winter, and 

 becomes pure white in summer. 



Nestling. Ashy grey, slightly mottled with dusky bars ; on the 

 sides of the mantle two incomplete streaks of black ; a black streak 

 on the middle of the rump and a black line extending along the sides 

 of the body across the base of the root of the tail ; minor black 

 markings are seen upon the head and on the wings ; under surface 

 of body yellowish white. 



Hab. In suitable localities throughout Central and Southern 

 Europe, Africa, and Temperate Asia, east to Mongolia in summer, 

 and south to the Indian Peninsula and Ceylon. Formerly breeding 

 in the British Islands, but now only an occasional visitor. 



