20 GBEAT PLOTEK. 



to the grey flints that surround them, thus being very difficult 

 to detect. They are generally two in number, but sometimes, 

 it is said, three; the third being for the most part not hatched. 

 They vary, in size and colour, some being a dull yellow, and 

 the spots much less clearly defined than in others. 



Male- weight, about seventeen ounces; length, one foot 

 five or 'six inches; bill, dusky black at the point, the rest 

 greenish yellow; from the base of the upper mandible a light- 

 coloured streak passes backward under the eye, and from the 

 base of the lower one a brown one underneath. Ins, large 

 and prominent, golden yellow a dark line encircles it; behind 

 it is a small space bare of feathers of a yellowish green, mostly 

 concealed by the ear coverts. Head, large and thick, on the 

 sides white; on the crown, neck on the back, and nape, pale 

 tawny brown, each feather with a streak of black in the centre; 

 the neck in front, pale brownish white, each feather streaked 

 alono- the centre with blackish brown. Chin and throat, white; 

 breast, nearly white, but yellowish, the feathers streaked with 

 blackish brown. Back, pale tawny brown, each feather with 

 a blackish brown longitudinal streak. 



The wings have the first and second quills nearly equal in 

 length, and the longest in the wing; greater and lesser wing 

 coverts pale tawny brown, each feather with a brownish black 

 line alono- the shaft; primaries and secondaries, nearly black, 

 the nrst and second with a broad white patch towards 

 the end across each web, the former the larger the seventh 

 and eighth slightly tipped with white; tertiaries, pale brown, 

 each feather with a brownish black line by the shaft, ihe 

 tail of twelve feathers and wedge-shaped, is on the inner half 

 mottled with two shades of brown, the third part reddish white, 

 with bent bars, and the end black; the outside feathers shorter 

 than the middle ones, which are not tipped with black. The 

 three outermost feathers the lightest coloured, and the bars 

 darker. Upper tail coverts, pale brown, with a dark mark by 

 the shaft of each feather; under tail coverts, buff white. The 

 leers which are long, and toes, yellow, with a greyish tinge 

 the outer toe is connected with the middle one as far as the 

 first ioint by a membrane; claws, nearly black. 



The female resembles the male bird. The legs thick below 

 the knee joint. 



The young are at first covered with a variegate! grey down, 

 which gradually gives way to the proper plumage. 



