512 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
Adult male.—Above ashy, mottled with dark brown centres to 
the feathers, some of the dorsal plumes washed with sandy colour ; 
crown of head bright chestnut, forming a cap, some of the feathers 
shghtly margined with fulvous; hind neck decidedly ashy, paler 
than the back and forming a kind of collar; wing-coverts ashy 
brown, with broad fawn coloured margins, forming a conspicuous 
shoulder-patch; the greater and primary coverts ashy brown, with 
ashy fulvous edgings; quills dark brown margined with ashy fulvous 
inclining to rufous near the base of the feathers; the outer primary 
with a broad external margin of creamy white; upper tail-coverts 
rufous fawn colour, the longest shaded with brown down the middle ; 
tail-feathers dark brown, the penultimate and outer feather edged ~ 
with white occupying the whole external web of the latter; the 
two centre tail-feathers margined with ashy brown; small frontal 
plumes whitish ; lores and a distinct eyebrow white, as also the 
feathers under the eye and the cheeks white, the latter slightly 
spotted with brown; ear-coverts pale rufous; sides of neck clear 
ashy grey; throat white; rest of under surface also white; the 
middle of the breast ashy fulvous; the sides of the upper breast 
bright chestnut, forming a patch on both sides; sides of body 
inclining to ashy fulvous, washed with fawn colour on the lower 
flanks ; thighs ashy fulvous; under wing-coverts pale ashy grey; 
the edge of the wing fulvous white; inner lining of wing ashy 
brown, the inner webs of the quills slightly rufescent towards the 
base; “bill yellowish brown; legs and toes brownish or reddish 
brown; iris dark brown” (CO. J. Andersson). 
Total length, 6°2 inches; culmen, 0°55; wing, 3°9; tail, 2°7; 
tarsus, 0°85. 
Adult female.—Coloured like the male. Total length, 6-2 inches; 
culmen, 0°5; wing, 3°65; tail, 2°6; tarsus, 0°85. 
The description is taken from a pair of birds collected and sexed 
by our friend Mr, Ayres. They are both, we take it, in full winter 
plumage, and we regret that we have the dates of scarcely any of 
the specimens, which makes it difficult to determine the seasonal 
changes of the species. ‘I'wo examples, however, now before us 
differ sufficiently in their colouration to make us believe that they 
are in their breeding-dress, and we therefore give the following 
short notes on this plumage :—General colour more rufous than in 
winter, especially on the upper tail-coverts and crown, the latter 
