116 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



which are nearly uniform brown; the lower back, which is nearly black, 

 with chestnut margins to the feathers (though this part is generally in 

 the plumage of winter) ; the under wing-coverts, axillaries, the centre of 

 the belly, and under tail-coverts/which are pure white; and the tail, which 

 is brown, a few of the centre feathers being more or less obscurely barred 

 with dark brown. The feathers of the upper parts are spotted, barred, or 

 vermiculated with dark brown, except on the head and hind neck. The 

 face during the breeding-season is covered with yellowish tubercles. Bill 

 yellowish orange, darker at the tip ; legs and feet yellowish brown, claws 

 black ; irides hazel. 



The female is much smaller than the male, measuring more than 

 an inch less in the length of wing. She has no ruff, and nearly all 

 the small feathers are velvety black, varying in different individuals in the 

 colour of their margins, from greyish white to chestnut -buff. The feathers 

 of the breast and flanks are light or dark brown, with bright or dull buff 

 margins, and the rest of the underparts are white. After the autumn 

 moult the feathers of the upper parts are greyish brown, with dark centres 

 and pale margins, and the underparts are white, suffused with brown on 

 the throat. Young in first plumage resemble adult females in summer 

 plumage in the colour of their upper parts ; but in that of their underparts 

 they resemble adults in winter plumage, except that in both the white 

 is replaced by buff, very pale in the centre of the belly and the under tail- 

 coverts. Birds of the year resemble adults in winter plumage, but are 

 darker on the breast, and have traces of the previous plumage on the 

 wing-coverts and innermost secondaries. Young in down are rich chestnut- 

 buff, marbled with black and dusted with pale buff on the upper parts, and 

 are pale chestnut-buff on the underparts. 



