44 



PTEROCLID^. 



The young male differs in having the head more streaked 

 with black ; the throat and neck are buff instead of orange, 

 with a faint black gular ring ; the band across the chest is 

 at first absent ; the primaries are more sandy-coloured ; the 

 upper parts are much spotted instead of being barred, and 

 the central rectrices are hardly prolonged. 



The adult female has the crown and nape buflf streaked 

 with black, without the golden-orange of the male ; the 

 throat and sides of the head orange-buff, with a narrow 

 black gular terminal band ; upper parts and wing-coverts 

 rather spotted than barred with black ; chest-band very 

 indistinct, but feathers on the abdomen dark brown through- 

 out their greater parts ; general colours duller, and central 

 rectrices less elongated than in the adult male. 



Total length of the male about fifteen inches : wing ten 

 inches ; first primary one inch longer than second ; central 

 rectrices extending three and even three and a half inches 

 beyond the others. Female slightly smaller. Weight of 

 well-conditioned birds of both sexes ten and a half ounces. 

 Examj)les with recently moulted quills were obtained on 26th 

 June, and birds shot in October, after their full change, were 

 remarkable for the beauty and freshness of their plumage. 



The vignette represents the sternum of this species. 



