46 LITTLE STINT. 



double forked, (reminding one of the boast of the American 

 than in his country they have, among other superiorities, 

 'fbrkeder lightning' than we happen to enjoy as British,) 

 that is, the two middle ones and the outer one on each 

 side being longer than the others, is ash grey brown, the 

 central feathers being much darker and glossy, with reddish 

 white edges, in autumn grey margined with buff white, in 

 winter narrowly edged with white, the three outside feathers 

 pure white; upper tail coverts, dusky black with broad 

 ferruginous margins, in autumn dark brown edged with dull 

 reddish brown; under tail coverts, white. The legs, which 

 are slender, and the toes, blackish grey; the outer one very 

 slightly connected at the base by a membrane to the middle 

 one; claws, dull black. 



Of course in the present, as in other similar instances, the 

 changes of plumage from that of summer to that of winter, 

 present great intermediate varieties. 



In the young of the first year the black is brown, and 

 the margins of the feathers buff' at first soon change into 

 nearly white. The eye streak is more distinct than in the 

 old bird. 



