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neck, back, scapulars and tail-coverts dull dark 
brown, the feathers being slightly margined with a 
greyish brown, with a slight tinge of olive-green in 
it, on the tail-coverts; wing-coverts dark dusky 
brown, tipped and very slightly margined with very 
pale brown, almost white; quills dusky brown, ter- 
tials slightly margined with lighter brown after the 
moult; throat dull white; sides of the neck dull 
white, mottled with brown, of which colour there is 
a line reaching to the breast; breast dull white, 
much mottled with dark brown; belly and under 
tail-coverts the same, but not so much mottled; tail 
the same colour as the quills, except the outside 
feather on each side, which is a very pale light 
brown, and the next to it is slightly margined and 
tipped with the same colour; legs, toes and claws 
brown, the hind claw is much curved. Varieties 
of this bird occasionally occur: Yarrell mentions 
having had one sent him by Mr. Lyte, of Berry 
Head, which was white on the head, back and under 
surface. _ — 
The eggs vary considerably in colour, the most 
general being yellowish white ground, mottled over 
with grey and dusky brown, or mottled all over with 
two shades of dark brown, so as almost to conceal 
the ground colour.* Meyer also mentions having 
had some of the eggs of this bird sent him which 
* Meyer's ‘ British Birds,’ vol. i., p 280. 
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