336 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



edged with white ; there is an indistinct light streak 

 over the eye; ear-coverts dull light dusky; back 

 and scapulars lightish dusky, each feather tipped 

 and edged with white ; the lesser wing-coverts have 

 more white on them; the greater wing- coverts are 

 light dusky, regularly margined with white ; tertials 

 dusky, marked with dull dirty white and white ; the 

 rest of the quills nearly hlack, with white shafts to 

 the feathers; rump and tail-coverts white, with a 

 few dark dusky markings ; tail barred black and 

 white ; chin white ; throat and sides of the neck 

 spotted with dull dusky and white ; breast lighter, 

 but marked nearly like the back ; rest of the under 

 parts, except the axillary plume (which is always 

 black), white; legs, toes and claws black. This 

 description is taken from one shot in the middle of 

 January. Another shot at Burnham, in December, 

 has the markings on the back more distinct, nearly 

 black and white, but the white occasionally mixed 

 with yellow ; there is not so much light dusky on the 

 breast, the feathers being only streaked in the 

 centre with that colour ; the feathers on the flanks 

 have very narrow light dusky streaks in the centre. 

 From the yellow mixed with some of the white 

 markings this would appear to be a younger bird 

 than the one first described. The breeding-season 

 plumage differs in having the front and sides of the 

 neck, the breast and belly, black ; the markings of the 

 upper parts are more distinctly black and white. 



