92 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



are glossed with purple. Back, wing shoulders, 

 and parts in front of them, grey ; wing tertials 

 elongated, black in the centre, and bordered with 

 white and grey ; greater coverts ash-brown tipped 

 with reddish-buff and white. Secondaries black, 

 the outer web of each forming a patch of dark 

 green ; primaries greyish-brown. Tail-coverts ash- 

 grey, elongated narrow-pointed feathers black, rest 

 dark brown bordered with white. From the side of 

 the head level with the eye a white streak runs down 

 each side of the neck, widening gradually as it 

 descends until the middle of the neck is reached ; 

 thence it opens out round the front of the neck, 

 breast, and belly. Sides grey; vent and under 

 tail-coverts black. Legs, toes, and webs blackish- 

 brown. 



The female is somewhat smaller, and her 

 plumage is made up of varying shades of brown, 

 the darkest colours in the centre of each feather 

 and on the upper parts of the body. During July, 

 August, and September the male assumes the dress 

 of the female. 



Situation and Locality. On the ground amongst 

 grass, rushes, and similar herbage growing near 

 ponds, lakes, and arms of the sea. It is a very 

 rare breeder indeed in our islands, having only 

 been reported from two or three quarters in 

 Ireland and one or two in Scotland and in the 

 Hebrides. 



Materials. Reeds, grass, and other kinds of 

 dead vegetation, according to some authorities, 

 lined with brownish tufts of down, faintly tipped 

 with white, from the bird's own body. In four nests 

 which I had the rare good fortune to examine in a 

 single day upon an island which unfortunately must 



