'280 (JAME-BIRDS OF INDIA 



margined white, the outer web of the first primary and all the 

 shafts black ; outer secondaries blackish-brown with bases white 

 and edged with same ; innermost secondaries like the scapulars ; 

 secondary-coverts, where visible, yellow-ochre with blackish-chocolate 

 terminal bands. Breast pale pinkish-rufous, divided from the yellow- 

 ochre of the neck and the white of the lower breast and abdomen 

 by narrow black bands ; flanks, axillaries, lesser and median under 

 wing-coverts, and under tail-coverts white ; under shoulder and edge 

 of wing dark-grey, greater under wing-coverts pale-grey. 



When once fully adult the males do not vary much in tone of 

 colouration, but the number and size of the yellow spots on the 

 scapulars and adjoining parts do vary to a considerable degree, and 

 when these are unusually numerous they give a very bright boldly- 

 coloured appearance to these parts, and, on the contrary, give a dull 

 rather dark appearance when they are few and small. 



Below, the rufous breast-band varies a little in intensity and in 

 the amount of pink, otherwise the lower parts are very constant. 



Measurements.— Wing T98 {= 2136 mm.) to 8-40 inches (= 224-2 

 mm.) with an average of 8"25 (= 220'8 mm.), tarsus I'OO to 1"12 

 (= 2.5 to 28'5 mm.) and averaging over 1'06 (= 26'75 mm.), bill at 

 front '50 to '58 (= 12'5 to 146 mm.) and averaging rather over 

 "53 (= 13'5 mm.), the tail varies from about 5'50 (= 140 mm.) to 

 7-50 (= 1905 mm.). 



These measurements are taken from a series of over a hundred 

 skins, the very great majority of these being birds shot in India. 

 They include the series in the British Museum and in the Tring 

 Museum. 



Males. — " Weight 10 to 12 ozs." (Hume.) 



Colours of Soft Parts. — " The feet are dirty or dusky-green, in one 

 specimen yellowish ; the irides are brown, the bill varies in colour 

 somewhat ; and I have recorded it in different specimens, as dusky- 

 green, greenish-brown, brown, dark-brown, slate-colour." (Hume.) 



Adult Female. — Whole upper parts from forehead to tail buff- 

 barred with black; on the shoulders and interscapulary region the tint 

 is often somewhat rufous and that on the upper tail-coverts brighter 

 and more yellow. On the interscapulary feathers a few of the 

 broadest bars of black have their centres grey. A short supercilium. 



