38 



TEIRAONID-E. 



in general appearance. In July the autumn plumage begins to appear, 

 and is complete about the end of August or the beginning of Sep- 

 tember ; and, so far as I can judge from the material before me, I 

 have no doubt that no further change takes place until the following 

 spring, as birds killed in the beginning of September are perfectly 

 similar to Ifovember, December, and February specimens. Total 

 length 14-5 inches, wing 7"7, tail 4, tarsus 1'5. 



This species is distinguished from all others of the genus by having 

 the primaries brownish black. 



From the above remarks it will be seen that two very extra- 

 ordinary facts appear to have been ascertained: — 



1. That the male has no distinct sioHm^r plumage, but changes in 

 autumn and again in winter, retaining the latter plumage till the 

 following autumn after the breeding-season. 



2. That the female has a distinct summer plumage, which is 

 complete by the end of April, also a distinct autumn plumage, but 

 never assumes a distinct ivlnter garb, retaining her autumn plumage 

 till the following spring. 



Immature birds after November cannot be distinguished from the 

 adults ; in the end of August the upper parts and chest are generally 

 like those of the adult female in breeding-plumage, but the buff and 

 rufous markings are not so coarse ; the breast and rest of under- 

 parts vary according to the type to which the birds belong. 



Varieties and albinos are rather rare *. 



Hab. Great Britain, Ireland, the Hebrides and Orkneys. 



a, b. c? ad. et pull. Orkney Is., June. 



c-g. (^ 5 ^•d- St. et 



pull. St. 

 k-j. 2 ad., c? imm. 



sk. 



k. (5 ad. sk. 



/, VI. (^ 2 ad. sk. 

 n, 0. Puil. sk. 



p. (5 ad. sk. 



g~t. (S 2 ad. sk. 



M. 2 ad. St. [albino]. 

 V, lu. S 2 it-d. sk. 

 3.: 2 ad. sk. [albino]. 



Orkney Is. 



Lewis, Outer Hebrides, 

 Sept., Oct. (F. I). G. 

 <5* E. Kirh Patrick). 



Benbecula. Outer Heb- 

 rides, Dec. 



Scotland. 



Scotland. 



Poyntzfield, Cromarty, 



Jan. 

 Beaulvjlnverness-shire, 



jNIay. 

 Nairn.shire. 

 Nairn.«hire, Dec. 

 Dunphail, Morayshire, 



Aug;. 



Gould Coll. 

 Purchased. 

 Salvin-Godmsm Coll. 



Sir W. Smyth, Bart. [P.]. 



Montagu Coll. 

 Salvin-Godman and Gould 



Colls. 

 G. St. Quintin, Esq. [P.]. 



Lord Lovat [P.]. 



Earl of Cawdor [P.]. 

 H. F. Rose, Esq. [P.]. 

 W. R. Ogilvie Grant, Esq. 



[P.]. • 



* There is a popular idea among sportsmen that the Irish birds are much 

 heavier than those from England iind Scotland, but I do not find this to be the 

 case. Three males from Co. Mayo average 23 oz. each and three females 

 21 oz. Of numerous specimens from various parts of Great Britain the 

 average weight of males is 23^ oz. and of females 21^ oz. One male from 

 Perthshire weighed 2Soz., but this of course is exceptional. 



