1 8 Allen's naturalist's library. 



inner aspect, conspicuous on the inner v^-eb, to the tip 

 of which it extends, becomes there frosted with grey, and 

 ascends along the margin of the inner web for some Httle 

 distance; the first primary blackish along the whole of the 

 outer web; secondaries grey, with dusky shaft-lines, white along 

 the inner webs and at the tips of the innermost quills ; central 

 tail-feathers white, the rest white with a grey shade on the 

 outer web, increasing towards the outer ones, the external long 

 feathers having a dusky blackish outer web ; crown of head 

 and nape black, this being drawn through the upper half of the 

 lores and along the sides of the crown above the ear-covcrts ; 

 sides of face from the lower portion of the lores, and reaching 

 to the eye and over the ear-coverts, cheeks, and throat pure 

 white j remainder of the under surface of the body, from the 

 fore-neck downwards, delicate lavender grey ; under tail-covert^, 

 under wing-coverts and axillaries pure white ; "bill coral-red, 

 the extreme tip horn-colour ; feet coral-red ; iris dark brown. 

 Total length, 15 inches; culmen, I'SS ; wing, lo'S ; tail, 27; 

 outer tail-feathers, 77; tarsus, 0-85. 



Adult Female. — Similar in colour to the male. Total length, 

 12-5 inches; culmen, i'35; wing, 107; tail, 57; tarsus, 07. 



Adult in Winter Plumage. — Differs from the summer plumage 

 in wanting the black cap, the head being black behind, but 

 with the forehead and crown streaked and mottled with white; 

 the under surface of the body is paler and shows less grey ; the 

 bill and feet much duller in colour. 



Immature Birds in First Winter. — P.esemble the winter plumage 

 of the adults, but are distinguislied by the forehead being white, 

 and by a dark grey band along the marginal upper wing-coverts. 

 The under surface of the body is enlirely white. 



Nestling. — Brownish -buff, or stone-buff streaked and spotted 

 with black, without any very distinct pattern, the head lighter 

 than the back, and more minutely spotted ; edge of wing and 

 under parts white, browner on the belly and vent; lores, sides 

 of face, and throat brown. As the nestling grows in size the 

 black pattern on the upper parts becomes more distinct, and 

 the throat fades to a light-brown colour. 



After the downy stage, the feathers of the upper surface are 



