387 



tail lu llie fiill-plumaged nialcs vary veiy iniich iii 

 lengtli, and the shortest is often the most worn, sho- 

 Aviiig that is has reached its f uil development for the 

 year. A specimen occars occasionally with immense 

 cirrhi: oue of mine has these feathers 34 inches Jono-, 

 while the general length seenis to be from 24 to 28 

 inches. I think itprobable, therefore, that these cirrhi 

 increase in length each year , and that the very long 

 ones mark very old birds. The other dimensions of 

 the bird, and the length of the ornamental sidepla- 

 mes , are in all cases almost exactl^^ equal. 



