296 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



brown ; but the rest of the tail-feathers, as well as the rump and the 

 upper and under tail-coverts, are bright chestnut. The feathers round 

 the bill and the eye, the ear-coverts, the throat, breast, axillaries, and 

 under wing-coverts are black ; belly and flanks buffish brown. Legs, 

 claws, and bill black; irides brown. In the female the upper and under 

 tail-coverts and the tail and the white edgings to the secondaries resemble 

 those of the male, but are tinged with brown, the rest of the plumage being 

 sooty brown. Young birds in first plumage have most of the feathers of the 

 upper and underparts barred and tipped with black. Males of the year 

 resemble adult females, in which plumage they have been found breeding, 

 and have been described as a distinct species. It is probable that these 

 birds moult into the adult plumage during their second autumn. 



