170 MISSEL THRUSH. 



yellowish, and the two outer ones more or less tipped with 

 greyish white; underneath, it is grey; the under tail coverts 

 have two longitudinal dusky bands, their middle part and tip 

 white, and the margins pale yellowish. Legs and toes, pale 

 reddish or yellowish brown; claws, brownish black. In summer 

 the plumage becomes considerably worn and faded: the moult 

 commences towards the end of summer, and is completed by 

 the end of November. 



The female is nearly equal to the male in size, and a little 

 paler in colour. Length, ten inches and rather over three 

 quarters to eleven inches; the breast is paler than in the 

 male; the wings expand to the width of one foot six or 

 seven inches. 



In the young the bill is light reddish brown, the upper 

 mandible dusky; head and crown, pale yellowish brown, with 

 a white spot in the centre of each feather; neck on the 

 back, and nape, pale yellowish brown, with a yellowish grey 

 mark in the centre of each feather, and the tip dark brown; 

 chin, white ; throat and breast, pale yellowish, the latter with 

 a triangular-shaped brownish black mark on the tip of the 

 feathers; back, pale yellowish brown, with a yellowish grey 

 mark in the centre of each feather, and the tip dark brown. 

 Greater wing coverts, brown, with broad edges of pale 

 yellowish buff; primaries, secondaries, and tertiaries, brown, 

 the latter margined with pale yellowish buff. Legs and toes, 

 light reddish brown; claws, brownish. At the first moult, 

 which is completed by the end of November, the adult 

 plumage is assumed. 



White and pied varieties have occasionally occurred. A 

 young bird of a pure white colour, with light yellow legs and 

 beak, was shot by Mr. Hames, in his garden at Heavitree, 

 near Exeter, on the 8th. of July, 1851. Mr. Macgillivray 

 mentions one preserved in the museum of the University of 

 Edinburgh, of which the upper parts resembled those of a 

 young Missel Thrush, while on the lower black was the 

 predominant colour; and although there were irregular light- 

 coloured markings on the neck and breast, there were none 

 of those which are so characteristic of the genus. 



The plate is from a design by the Rev. K. P. Alington. 



