330 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



grasshoppers, and sometimes a little vegetable 

 matter. 



The adult bird in its summer plumage has the 

 beak nearly black ; the irides brown ; the top of the 

 head and nape of the neck very dark brown, rounded 

 on the sides and behind by a band of pure white ; 

 the ear -coverts, the neck and back ash-colour ; the 

 scapulars, wing-coverts and tertials ash-brown, edged 

 with buff; wing-primaries ash-grey, the first with a 

 broad white shaft ; the tail-feathers greyish brown ; 

 those ill the middle tipped with dull white, the three 

 outside feathers with broad ends of pure white ; the 

 chin and sides of the neck white ; the front and sides 

 of the neck below ash-grey ; from shoulder to 

 shoulder across the breast is a band of white, 

 margined above and below with a dark line ; breast 

 rich fawn-colour, passing to chesnut ; belly black ; 

 vent and under tail-coverts white, tinged with buff; 

 under wing-coverts and axillary plume greyish 

 white ; legs and toes greenish yellow ; claws black. 

 This description is taken from Yarrell, as I have 

 not one in my collection. The male and female 

 appear to be much alike. Mr. Cordeaux, in the 

 'Zoologist' for 1867 (Second Series), says, "I 

 believe the late Mr. Wheelwright is quite correct 

 when he says 'the female is generally larger and 

 handsomer than the male.' Montagu says that ' in 

 the female the white line on the breast is wanting.' 

 This is not the case, however ; both the male and 



