400 



CHAKADRIID.E. 



middle tipped with dull white, the three outside feathers with 

 broad ends of pure white ; the chin and sides of the neck 

 white ; the front and sides of the neck below ash grey ; from 

 shoulder to shoulder, across the breast, is a band of white, 

 margined above and below with a dark line ; breast rich fawn 

 colour, passing to chestnut ; belly black ; vent and under tail- 

 coverts white, tinged with buff; under wing-coverts and axillary 

 plume greyish white ; legs and toes greenish yellow ; the claws 

 black. 



The whole length nine inches and a half. From the car- 

 pal joint to the end of the wing, six inches : the wing in form 

 pointed ; the first quill-feather the longest ; the average 

 weight about four ounces : I have seen one example that 

 weighed six ounces and a half. 



I have occasionally seen specimens early in May that had 

 not obtained their summer dress ; the breast is then white, 

 but slightly tinged with buff. 



Mr. Heysham's description of a young female, three weeks 

 or a month old, killed on Robinson July 25th 1835, is as 

 follows : — " Forehead, throat, and sides of the face, cream- 

 yellow, covered with small sjjots and fine streaks of greyish 

 brown. Crown of the head, occiput, and also the feathers on 

 the back, dark brown, all more or less broadly edged with 

 buff orange. Scapulars and wing-coverts olive green, deeply 

 edged with reddish white ; tail the same, finely margined 

 with white, the centre feathers broadly tipped with reddish 

 white, and the three lateral ones on each side ending in a 

 large irregular whitish spot. Sides of the neck, flanks, and a 

 broad band above each eye, buflf orange, the former finely 

 streaked with greyish brown. Breast cinereous, slightly 

 tinged with reddish white, and marked on each side with 

 large spots of olive green. Belly white, finely spotted here 

 and there with greyish brown. Bill black. Irides dark 

 brown. Legs pale olive green ; soles bright yellow. 



