14 CHARADIUUS HELVETJCUS. 



the tribe it belongs to. They continue about the sea 

 coast until early in November, when they move off to 

 the south. 



This same bird, Mr Pennant informs us, inhabits all 

 the north of Europe, Iceland, Greenland, and Hudson's 

 Bay, and all the arctic part of Siberia. It is said, that 

 at Hudson's Bay it is called the hawk's-eye, on account 

 of its brilliancy. It appears, says tin- same author, in 

 Greenland, in the spring, about the southern lakes, and 

 feeds on worms and berries of the heath. 



This species is twelve inches long, and twenty-four 

 inches in extent ; the bill is thick, deeply grooved on 

 the upper mandible, an inch and a quarter in length, 

 and of a black colour; the head and globe of the eye 

 are both remarkably large, the latter deep bluish Mark ; 

 forehead, white; crown and hindhead, black, spotted 

 with golden yellow; back and scapulars, dusky, sprinkled 

 with the same golden or orange coloured spots, mixed 

 with'others of white; breast, belly, and vent, black; sides 

 of the breast, whitish; wing-quills, black; middle of 

 the shafts, white; greater coverts, black, tijit with 

 white ; lining of the wing, black ; tail, regularly barred 

 with blackish and pure white; tail coverts, pure white; 

 legs and feet, a dusky lead colour; the exterior toe 

 joined to the middle by a broad membrane; hind toe 

 very small. 



From the length of time which these birds take to 

 acquire their full colours, they are found in very various 

 stages of plumage. The breast and belly are at first 

 white, gradually appear mottled with black, and finally 

 become totally black. The spots of orange, or golden, 

 on the crown, hindhead, and back, are at first white, 

 and sometimes even the breast itself is marked with 

 these spots, mingled among the black. In evrry stairr 

 tin* seemingly disproportionate size of the head, and 

 thickness of the bill, will distinguish this species. 



