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{ believe, that the last described bird is the nearest approach 
I possess to the second stage, and that the change to it, would 
be accomplished by the central stripes disappearing from the 
upper surface; and in the lower surface, gradually extending 
over the whole feather. 
Specimens in this stage vary greatly, independent of the 
points noted above ; in the colour of the thighs, vent, and lower 
tail coverts, (which in some are nearly white, in others rufous 
buff,) and in the extent and purity of the white, or fulvous white 
tipping, to the tail and secondaries. ‘The difficulty is, that these 
various differences do not go together. If the birds be arranged 
in a series, with reference to the comparative width of the cen- 
tral stripes of the breast feathers, which width varies, as above 
noticed, from less than one-fifth to nearly four-fifths of the total 
width of the feathers; and then turned back upwards, no corre- 
sponding progression in the lineation of the upper surface is 
observable, and in order to obtain a regular series, according to 
the amount and extent of the lineations of the upper feathers, 
a totally different arrangement will be necessary. Adopting 
either of these arrangements, we shall still have no regular pro- 
gression in the extent, or purity of the white tipping of the tail, 
or secondaries ; or in the colour of the lower abdomen, vent, and 
leg feathers. 
Two birds, whose heads, necks, and upper backs correspond, 
differ entirely where the lower plumage, or perhaps tail feathers 
are concerned, and vice versd. It is clear therefore, that what- 
ever be the general sequence of changes, some birds change first 
below, others above; some earlier on the heads, and others on 
the tails; thus rendering the determination of the compara- 
tive priority of the various forms, doubly difficult. 
2nd. The leading character of this second stage, is to have 
two conspicuous white, or fulvous white, wing bands; one of 
these at any rate, exists, more or less perceptibly in the first 
stage, the pale tippings of the tertiaries,- and secondaries being 
generally present, and in some specimens there being traces of 
the second band, formed by pale tips to the greater wing coverts ; 
but in the first stage, these bands (even where both exist, which 
they rarely do,) are very inconspicuous. In the second stage, 
they are strongly marked, and are the first features that attract 
attention. In this second stage, the whole of the head, neck, 
chin, throat, back, lesser scapulars, lesser wing coverts, breast, 
abdomen, sides, leg feathers, axillaries, wing lining, except the 
greater lower wing coverts, are a nearly uniform brown. The 
upper tail coverts are clear, slightly yellowish white, the tail 
