24 



FAMILIAR WILD BIRDS. 



confused. The wings are blackish, with the feathers edged 

 with brown, the longer ones being much darker. The tail, 

 which is a little forked, is rather long and brownish-black, 

 the outside feathers being white. Under tail-coverts are 

 white. Legs, toes, and claws are a dusky brown. The 

 female is smaller than the male, and differs very much 

 from it in appearance. The head is brownish instead of 

 black, the white collar is replaced with plumage of a dusky- 

 brown, and the throat and breast is a dull white. 



The young birds resemble the female, but the markings 

 are duller, and the sides of the head are greyish-brown. 

 The black parts of the head do not make their appearance 

 in the young male birds until after the autumn moult, 

 and the white collar increases in distinctness as the birds 

 approach maturity. 



It is a handsome addition to the av iary, and may be 

 kept without much di flic ult}^^ 



