REDSTART. 263 



the quill-feathers of the wings grey ; legs, toes, and claws, 

 brown. 



The whole length of the bird five inches and one quarter. 

 From the carpal joint of the wing to the end of the longest 

 wing-feather, three inches : the first wing-feather very short ; 

 the second equal in length to the sixth ; the third, fourth, 

 and fifth nearly equal, but the fourth the longest. 



The female has neither the white nor the black on the 

 head ; the upper surface of the body greyish brown ; the 

 chestnut colour of the tail-feathers, and their upper coverts, 

 rather less bright than in the males ; under surface of the 

 body and tail-feathers pale reddish brown. Very old females 

 obtain plumage somewhat similar to that of the males ; but 

 the colours are neither so pure nor so bright. 



The young in their nestling plumage very closely resemble 

 the young of the Robin, except on the rump and tail ; all 

 the upper parts are of a dusky brown, with a pale spot upon 

 each feather : wing-coverts broadly edged with pale brown ; 

 tail and tail-coverts rufous ; breast mottled with yellowish 

 and dusky brown. 



Young males of the year after their autumn moult, and 

 adult males in winter, have the black and chestnut parts of 

 the throat and breast varied with white lines ; no white on 

 the forehead of the young males ; and the upper parts of 

 the body are pale reddish brown, tinged with grey. 



