WATER-KAIL. 85 



dusky, the edges of the feathers olive brown, leaving only a 

 little of the centre black: in flirting up the tail, this species 

 also displays the white underneath. Under tail coverts, dull 

 cream-coloured white, the bases of the feathers black, the tips 

 reddish brown. Legs and toes, which latter are long, pale 

 reddish brown or greenish, the joints of a bluish tint. 



The female resembles the male, but the bill is shorter and 

 paler. 



The young have the throat and breast barred with pale 

 brown on the margins of the feathers; the breast also without 

 the white bars on the sides, and paler likewise in colour 

 than in the adult. 



Montagu says, 'In some there are a few feathers at the 

 elbow of the wing, on the coverts, that are barred black 

 and white, and the tail feathers margined with brown; the 

 middle ones wholly olivaceous brown. Others have the feathers 

 on the fore part of the neck margined with white; but the 

 last variety, as mentioned by other authors, we believe is 

 more rare.' White varieties have occasionally occurred. 



