SEDGE WAEBLEB. 77 



and the lower part light reddish yellow brown, the centres 

 of the feathers brown. 



The wings are rather short, expanding to the width of 

 seven inches and nearly three quarters; the first feather is very- 

 short, the third the longest, the second a little shorter still. 

 Greater and lesser wing coverts, pale dusky reddish brown, 

 edged with pale greyish brown; primaries, secondaries, and 

 tertiaries, dark dusky brown, the latter edged with pale greyish 

 brown. The tail, which extends three quarters of an inch 

 beyond the closed wings, and is rather long, straight, and 

 slightly rounded, is dusky brown, the feathers edged with pale 

 greyish brown, underneath it is dusky brown; upper tail coverts, 

 reddish brown, darker than the back; under tail coverts, 

 yellowish brown; legs, pale yellowish grey; toes, a little darker; 

 claws, brown, the hinder one rather short and hooked all 

 somewhat curved and sharp. 



The female resembles the male, but is slightly larger. The 

 stripe over the eye is less distinct. The crown is more tinged 

 with brown; the back is of a paler tint, and less bright on 

 the lower part. Upper tail coverts, less rufous than in the 

 male; under tail coverts, mixed with dusky brown. 



The young when fully fledged have the bill greyish brown 

 above, and pale reddish brown beneath; head and crown, 

 reddish brown, spotted with brownish black ; neck on the back 

 and nape, reddish brown; chin, throat, and breast, dull brownish 

 white. Back on the upper part, reddish brown, spotted with 

 brown; toes, pale reddish brown. 



A very curious variety of this species is recorded by 

 W. F. W. Bird, Esq., in the 'Zoologist,' page 3632, as having 

 been killed in Sussex, in July, 1852: 'It was a bird of this 

 year, but full grown, and of a uniform light canary colour 

 all over, except that on the top of the head there were a 

 few spots or small streaks of pale olive.' 



