186 RED-BACKED SIIRIKE. 



broader; tertiarles, bordered with rufous as the secondaries. 

 The tail, which extends about an inch and a half beyond the 

 wings, and consists of twelve feathers, has the two middle 

 ones black; all the rest white at the base, and black towards 

 the end, 'fine by degrees and beautifully less,' until the outside 

 feather on each side, which is about a quarter of an inch 

 shorter than the others, making it slightly wedge-shaped, 

 retains only a single dark spot all are tipped with white; 

 the shafts are black; upper tail coverts, bluish grey, with a 

 dash of red; beneath it is the same, but less distinct; under 

 tail coverts, white. Legs, black, long, and slender; toes and 

 claws, black. 



The female in very old age assumes, at all events occa- 

 sionally, the plumage of the male, but in general she differs 

 much; her weight, about ten drachms; bill, dark brown the 

 base of the lower part yellowish white. Iris, dark brown; 

 over the eye is a light streak no dark one a brown streak 

 below it; head, ferruginous brown. Neck and nape, ferruginous 

 brown, tinged with grey below; chin, dull white; throat, 

 greyish white; breast, greyish white, the feathers margined 

 with a semicircular dusky line; back, ferruginous brown above, 

 lower down with a tinge of grey. Primaries, secondaries, and 

 tertiaries, as in the male, but the rufous margins narrower; 

 tail, ferruginous, the outer web of each outside feather and 

 the tips, dull white ; underneath it is grey, tipped with white ; 

 under tail coverts, dull white. Legs and toes, blackish brown. 



The young nearly resemble the female. Over the eye there 

 is a yellowish white streak; breast above, yellowish white, 

 below, the same, barred with brown on each feather. The 

 feathers on the lower part of the back have a narrow dark 

 border, the rest of the back is yellowish brown, tinged with 

 grey, and the feathers barred at the tip with brown, edged 

 with a lighter shade. Tail, yellowish brown, darker at the 

 tip, the two outer feathers edged with white. 



A variety of this bird has been met with near Lewes, of 

 a uniform pale fawn-colour. 



