424 EMBERIZID.E. 



the base of the beak and the eye, tlie forehead, crown of tlie 

 head, and occiput, velvet black, with a collar of bright chest- 

 nut on the nape of the neck and upper part of the back ; 

 the feathers of the back, wings, and upper tail-coverts, red- 

 dish brown at the edge, dark brown at the centre ; the small 

 wing-coverts edged with white ; the greater coverts and ter- 

 tials with a broad margin of red ; quill-feathers blackish 

 brown, with narrow light-coloured exterior margins ; the tail- 

 feathers also blackish brown, with reddish edges ; the two 

 outer feathers with a conical white spot at the end ; the tail 

 forked ; the chin, cheeks, ear-coverts, throat, and breast, 

 velvet black ; behind the eye, and surrounding the ear-co- 

 verts, a streak of white which descends to the breast, bound- 

 ing the black on the throat and breast ; lower part of the 

 breast, the belly, and under tail-coverts, dull Avhite ; sides of 

 the breast and flanks spotted with black ; legs, toes, and 

 claws, pitch black ; the hind claw almost straight. 



The whole length about six inches and a quarter. From 

 the carpal joint to the end of the wing, three inches and a 

 half : the first quill-feather the longest in the wing. 



Dr. Richardson says, " the female differs in having the 

 chin greyish ; the black plumage of the head and breast 

 edged with pale brown and grey, and the chestnut feathers 

 of the nape fringed with white. The white stripes are 

 duller." 



"After the autumn moult the male resembles the female. 

 The darker hue of the breeding dress is produced by the 

 pale margins of the plumage dropping off."" 



My own young bird has the beak brown ; the whole of the 

 plumage dark brown, with light brown edges ; quill and tail- 

 feathers brownish black ; throat, breast, and all the under 

 surface, pale brown, spotted with darker brown on the breast 

 and flanks ; legs, toes, and claws, light brown. 



