246 SYLVIAD^E. 



The whole length of the bird rather more than five 

 inches and a half. From the carpal joint to the end of 

 the longest feather in the wing, two inches and three- 

 quarters : the first wing-feather very small ; the second 

 a little longer than the seventh, but shorter than the 

 sixth ; the third, fourth, and fifth feathers nearly equal 

 in length, but the fifth rather the longest. 



Females resemble the males, but are a little more 

 spotted on the head, breast, and belly. 



The young before their first moult have the throat 

 greyish white, varied with small darker- coloured spots, 

 and the general colour of the plumage of the other parts 

 darker. 



This species is subject to varieties in colour. A speci- 

 men sent me by the Rev. Dr. Thackeray has the head, 

 neck, body, and wing-coverts dull white, varied with a 

 few markings of the natural brown ; the wing and tail- 

 feathers pure white ; beak and legs flesh colour. . A speci- 

 men sent me by the Eev. Robert Holdsworth from Brix- 

 ham was of a nearly uniform reddish buff colour ; and I 

 have seen several others. 



The figure on the left hand in the vignette below repre- 

 sents the foot of the Accentor alpinus ; the right hand 

 figure is taken from the breast-bone of Accentor modularis, 

 as an illustration of the generic form of the sternum. 



