260 ALLEN'S NATURALIST'S LIBRARY. 



head a trifle darker than the back, with a distinct eyebrow 

 of white, inclining to buffy-white above the ear-coverts ; 

 lores, sides of face, and ear-coverts dark brown, streaked 

 with buff below the eye and on the centre of the ear- 

 coverts, which have pale shaft-streaks ; cheeks dull white, 

 spotted with dark brown, and widening into a patch on the 

 sides of the neck, which incline to golden-buff; a very dis- 

 tinct moustachial line of blackish-brown ; under surface of 

 body dull white, spotted with dusky brown on the chin, 

 streaked on the upper throat very distinctly, but more broadly 

 on the fore-neck, breast, and sides of the body ; on the lower 

 throat a white space ; centre of breast, abdomen, and under 

 tail-coverts, dull white, unspotted, but the latter with con- 

 cealed brown centres ; sides of body washed with rich chest- 

 nut ; under wing-coverts entirely of this colour ; quills dusky 

 below, ashy along the edge of the inner web ; bill dark brown, 

 the lower mandible dull yellow towards the base; feet and 

 claws yellowish-brown; iris brown. Total length, 8'* 5 inches; 

 culmen, 07; wing, 4*45; tail, 3*1 ; tarsus, n. 



Adult Female. Similar to the male. Total length, 8 inches ; 

 wing, 4-3. 



During the breeding season the light edges to the wing-coverts 

 become abraded, and the spots on the breast become more 

 distinct, as the edges of the feathers are worn off. 



Young. Resembles the adult, but has some pale tips to the 

 median and greater wing-coverts. 



NOTE. It seems rather absurd that the Redwing should be confounded 

 with the Song-Thrush, but that this is frequently done, we can bear witness 

 from the number of instances in which the latter bird has been brought 

 to us at the British Museum during the last twenty years, to prove that the 

 Redwing really nests in this country. It may, therefore, be pointed out 

 that the Redwing has a broad white eyebrow and dark brown ear-coverts, 

 and has the sides of the body and the under wing-coverts and axillaries 

 ruddy chestnut, and not golden buff-as in the Song-Thrush. 



Range in Great Britain. A regular autumn and winter visitant, 

 arriving sometimes as early as the month of August, and stay- 

 ing till March or early in April. The male described above 

 was obtained by the late Henry Swaysland, near Brighton, on 



