THE KNOT. 



59 



and under tail-coverts, white, tinged with red and spotted 

 with black ; legs, toes, and claws, bluish black. 



The whole length of an adult bird is ten inches ; from 

 the carpal joint to the end of the first quill -feather, whicft 

 is the longest in the wing, six inches and a half. 



Young birds of the year in autumn have the upper 

 surface of the body ash grey, each feather with two narrow 

 half-circular bands near the end, the first of greyish black, 

 the ultimate band buffy white, later in the season pure 

 white ; the neck white, streaked with grey ; the breast 

 dull white, tinged with reddish buff. 



Adult birds in winter have all the upper surface of the 

 body and the wing- coverts uniform ash grey ; wing- 

 primaries as in summer ; all the front of the neck, the 

 breast, and under surface of the body, white, slightly 

 streaked with grey. 



