346 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
with dark centres to the feathers; a long dark crest with 
conspicuous white tips ; back, scapulars, and wing coverts 
dark brown with pale edges ; rump and tail coverts smoky- 
brown with darker shafts; wing quills smoky-brown above 
and whitish underneath, barred and tipped with black, the 
inner webs white towards the base ; the tail feathers are of the 
same smoky brown above and white beneath, with broad 
black crossbars and narrow white tips. The chin, throat, and 
under surface are white ; there is a narrow black streak down 
the centre of the throat; the feathers of the breast and 
abdomen are splashed with bold brownish-black drop-shaped 
marks, which increase in size downwards, the flanks, vent, and 
under tail coverts being almost wholly brown ; the thighs and 
upper tarsus are rather more rufous, the lower tarsus is white. 
The edge of the wing and the wing lining are white with long 
drop-shaped marks of dark-brown. 
Some mature birds appear to be much lighter and have no 
dark clin stripe. There are fewer dark drops on the breast, 
while the abdomen, thighs, and under tail coverts are white 
with patches of pale rufous-brown. 
In young birds of the darker race the head and neck are 
lightish brown ; the feathers of the upper plumage have white 
edges, most conspicuous on the wing coverts ; the dark bars 
on the wings and tail are more numerous than in adults ; the 
lower parts are white or pale buff, with fewer dark drops ; the 
abdomen and thighs are lighter. 
Young birds of the pale race have the upper plumage much 
mixed with white ; the head and neck are inconspicuously 
streaked with tawny buff, against which the dark crest shows 
boldly. The lower parts are of unspotted white shading into 
rufous on the abdomen; the thighs and under tail coverts are 
barred with pale rufous. 
Bill dark leaden, black at the tip; cere yellow in young 
birds, leaden in adults ; iris pale straw to golden-yellow ; feet 
yellow. 
Dimensions are rather variable ; males, as a rule, are smaller 
than females, and dark birds than light forms. 
Length about 23°5; wing 14°5; tail 9°75; tarsus 3°6; 
mid-toe without claw 2 ; bill from gape 1: 65. 
