254 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



eggs are deposited, little or no real nest being 

 made. 



This is a very pretty bright little bird ; the beak 

 is black ; the irides reddish hazel : forehead imme- 

 diately over the beak dull white ; cheeks, ear- coverts 

 and a streak over the eye, white ; top of the head 

 scarlet, a narrow streak between the scarlet and the 

 white over the eye to the back of the neck, and the 

 back of the neck, black ; a broad black streak 

 extends across the back and includes part of the 

 scapulars and lesser wing-coverts ; the rest of the 

 back is white, barred with black; the tail- coverts are 

 black; the quill-feathers are nearly black, barred 

 with white ; the four centre tail-feathers are black, 

 and not quite so pointed as in the last two species ; 

 the next feather on each side is tipped with white 

 and the two outside feathers on each side are white, 

 barred with black ; throat and all the under surface 

 dull greyish white ; legs, toes and claws lead-colour. 

 The top of the head in the female is a dullish white, 

 without any red feathers, and the under surface is 

 dull light brown. The young male birds assume the 

 red colour on the top of the head during the first 

 moult. 



The eggs are a uniform white when blown, but 

 when fresh taken have a sort of flesh-colour tint, 

 owing to the yelk showing through; they are, of 

 course, much smaller than those of the last-men- 

 tioned species. 



