( 57 ) 



color of the lower back, rump, and 

 upper tail coverts is irridesoent bluish 

 slate color with a rusty red patch on 

 each side. The flanks are orange- 

 color, spotted black. Breast rich 

 irridescent chestnut, each feather very 

 narrowly margined purple. The 

 wings are a mixture of gray and dull 

 white with some rufous on the 

 coverts. 



The tail feathers are a buffy- gray, 

 barred black at the center and rufous 

 toward the edge. The two ouku f cfc>a4X:=a- 

 quills are the longest. 



The white collar on a very dark 

 purplish green neck is the distinguish- 

 ing feature. 



Female lacks the brilliant color of 

 the male. 



The same short red feathers occur 

 around the eye, but the dots are grey. 



The whole plumage is mottled black, 

 chestnut, and ochraceous grey with a 

 greyer cast to the lower parts and 

 frequently more or less rufous washing 

 on the upper parts. 



The tail is also much shorter. 



Distribution. — Siberia, Korea, and 

 China and resident throughout its 

 range. It has been introduced into 

 both Europe and America. 



Nest and Eggs. — The nest is placed 

 in tall grass or weeds and these usually 

 arch over it so as to hide it. The 

 lining is a very simple mass or pad of 

 grass or similar material. 



The eggs are yellowish olive and 

 vary from 7 or 8 to 12 in a clutch. 



Notes. — This bird is unfortunately 

 decreasing every year in numbers. The 

 inroads made upon them, by the 

 gunners who shoot for the sake of 

 shooting only and kill their bags of 

 scores before they are satisfied, are 



