296 SYLVIADE. 



and in some very old birds pearl white ; the head, neck, and 

 back, smoke-grey ; the ear-coverts almost black ; quill-fea- 

 thers blackish brown, the tertials edged with lighter brown ; 

 tail-feathers blackish brown, except the outer feather on each 

 side, which is nearly white; chin, throat, breast, and belly, 

 nearly pure white, the latter tinged with red as far as the 

 vent ; sides and flanks tinged with grey ; under surface of 

 wing and tail-feathers grey; legs, toes, and claws, lead colour. 



The whole length five inches and a quarter. From the 

 carpal joint to the end of the primaries, two inches and five- 

 eighths : the first feather very short ; the second feather 

 rather shorter than the third or fourth, which are equal in 

 length, and the longest in the wing. 



The female is not quite so large as the male ; the grey 

 colour of the head and neck is tinged with brown ; the ear- 

 coverts not so dark in colour, and the white of the under 

 surface of the body is less pure, being clouded with grey. 



Young birds resemble the female, and have the eyes 

 reddish hazel. 



The vignette below represents the nest of this bird. 





