52 
I have come to the conclusion, that this has no necessary con- 
nection, with the age of the bird; but varies, according either to 
season, (in relation to the state of the reproductive organs) or 
climate, (with reference to temperature and moisture) or food, 
or perhaps all combined. Certain it is, that, with numerous 
specimens before one, no rule about the more rufous character 
of the English bird can be absolutely maintained. Col. Tytler 
has an undoubted Hnglish specimen, with less rufous than any 
of the numerous Indian ones, that I have seen, and I have in 
my own collection an old female, shot near Lahore, fully as 
rufous as any of the six Huropean birds that I have compared 
it with, and more rufous than any, but-one of these. It is said 
that northern specimens run larger, than those of lower lati- 
tudes; but this too I question, and for facility of comparison, 
T subjoin exact measurements of a fine, but not old Indian 
female, which to judge from Yarrell and Old Bushman, cannot 
fall far short of even Scandinavian examples. 
Length, 20°25 inches. Expanse, 39. Wing, 13°25 ; (the second 
and third primaries equal and longest, Ist 0°25 shorter, 4th 0°73 
shorter.) Tail, 6°75 (exterior feathers 0°62 shorter than central 
feather.) Tarsus, (feathered in front for nearly 1 inch) 2°12. 
Foot, greatest length 4:62; greatest width 2°75; mid toe 2°06, 
its claw 0°81; hind toe 1:0, its claw 0°94. Bill, straight 1:12 ; 
along curve 1°37 ; from gape 1°31; width at gape 1:25 ; height at 
front at edge of cere 0°5 ; length of cere 0°25. Weight, 1 ib 13 oz. 
T also add a full description, as that will show exactly, the 
stage of European bird with which it should be compared. 
Legs and feet, pale yellowish brown. Claws black, outer toe claw 
larger than mid, or interior toe claw. Inides deep brown. Bill, 
pale blue at base of upper mandible, greenish at base of lower 
mandible, bluish black at both tips; cere, dingy yellowish. 
The whole of the top of the head, back of the neck, and 
a broad patch below the eye, covering almost the whole of the 
cheek, a very deep slatey blue, almost black on the cheek stripe, 
the whole ofthe back of the neck, upper back scapulars, and 
upper surface of the wings slatey blue, all the feathers obscurely 
barred with a lighter hue, and many of them tipped and 
margined somewhat paler; middle and lower back, rump and 
upper tail coverts, bluish grey, conspicuously barred with broad 
arrow head bars, of darker, or slatey blue. ‘ail feathers all 
conspicuously tipped with white, centre tail feathers, and outer 
webs of the rest dingy blue, or grey, with from seven to nine broad, 
transverse, dark slatey blue bars. Inner webs of lateral tail 
feathers, of a paler ground colour, contrasting more strongly 
therefore, with the bars, which are similar on both webs, though 
