176 WOODCOCK. 



the corners of the eye to the rictus, there is a streak 

 of the same rich brown colour, helow the auriculars a 

 longitudinal patch, and on the fore part of the neck, 

 two oval patches, also hrown, the latter formed by 

 1he tips and bars on the feathers being very broad 

 and uniting. The upper plumage is a mixture of 

 chestnut -brown, pale ochraceous, and grey, inter- 

 spersed with black and rich brown markings, 

 chastely disposed, the pale colours being generally 

 surrounded by a dark margin often shading into 

 them. The rump and the tail-coverts are chestnut- 

 brown, the latter concealing the tail until within 

 three-quarters of an inch from the tip. Wings 

 blackish-brown, interiorly appearing pale sapio- 

 brown, the feathers cut into on the edge of each 

 web with triangular markings, on the outer of chest- 

 nut-brown, on the inner of reddish wood-brown ; 

 the outer web of the first quill is generally paler, 

 in some instances yellowish-white, that colour pre- 

 dominating, and the dark assuming the form of tri- 

 angular spots upon it. The tail, of twelve feathers, 

 is black, the outer webs of the feathers cut into 

 with chestnut-brown ; the tips above grey, on the 

 under side appearing pure white ; under parts yel- 

 lowish-white, of a redder tinge on the breast, and 

 varying in specimens to a more ochreous and redder 

 tint ; the whole is narrowly barred with blackish 

 or hair-brown; under tail-covert ochreous, with 

 black centres. Legs, and base of the bill, pale 

 brownish-pink ; the tint of the latter increasing in 

 intensity to the tip, where it becomes nearly black. 



