Ill u US. 885 



sides a great length of wing, it is also provided with a long tail, 

 which like a rudder, turns it in its most rapid motions ; and thus, 

 while it is possessed of the greatest swiftness, it is also possessed 

 of the most extreme agility. 



fcatliprs were replaced by black ones, and tlie pectoral feathers had given 

 place to the ferruginous ones. From that period a progressive improve- 

 ment took place in the long and middle tail feathers, which had just begun 

 to appear, anJ they had reached their full length on the 10th November. 



The Whidah Bunting is five inches and three quarters from the tip of the 

 bill to the extremity of the tail ; and, in this state, is not unlike the common 

 bunting of Britain, the bill is, however, stronger, and of a pale-bluish lead 

 colour ; the irides dark hazel. When the first change of feathering has 

 been effected, its general tone is a pale ash-colour, which gradually deepens 

 till it becomes of a dark wood-brown, with black patches over difl'erent parts 

 of the head, neck, and back ; a black stripe reaches from the bill to the nape, 

 on each side, immediately over the eyes, with a double longitudinal row 

 of black spots on the crown of the head ; the auricles are also black. The 

 ininorics of the wing with black patches at their base; the primaries, se- 

 condaries, middle wing coverts, and remiges, deep black, with cinereous 

 edges ; the middle and lateral tail feathers black, edged with pale wood- 

 brown : from the pectus to the crissum the belly is piu-e «-hite, deepening 

 into wood-brown, towards the wings ; thighs white, legs, feet, and claws, 

 pale skin-colour, wliich they preserve during the whole year. A precise 

 description of the plimaage, in its winter or summer garb, will not apply, 

 during either of the periods of these moults, for, as above noticed, it is per- 

 petually changing, so that my descriptions apply only to its perfect condi- 

 tion. 



The summer attire, when perfect, has the head as low as the nape, chin, 

 fore part of the throat and neck, wings, vent, and tail of a deep black ; the 

 lower part of theneck or jugulum, bright orpiment-orange ; the breast or 

 peltus vivid burnt terra-sienna, growing paler as it descends ; the belly or 

 epigastrium, and tibia, white in the centre, inclining to orange, towards the 

 wings ; the two middle tiiil feathers are four inches in length, placed verti- 

 cally, one inch and a fourth broad, ending in a filamentary prolongation of 

 the quills, an inch and a-half long, tipped with a small knob of feathers ; the 

 two outer tail feathers are nine inches and a-half in length, and an inch and 

 an eighth broad at their centre, gradually tapering towards each end, and 

 terminating in a filament an inch and an eighth in length, with a knob at 

 tlieir tips. From the middle of the shafts of these last arise two long thread, 

 like extremely flexible feathers, four and a-half inches in length ; the under 

 tail feathers are four in number, two and a quarter inches long, black, with 

 cinereous edges. The whole tail feathers are extremely glossy ; and strong- 

 ly undulated, which is distinctly to be seen, and is very perceptible to the 

 touch : which last character is peculiar to all the feathers of the bird, but 

 not so evident without the assistance of a lens. The bill undergoes con- 

 siderable change in the summer and winter plumage, both in shape and col- 

 our, which is produced by exfoliation, being deep bluish-black in summer 

 U!id pale lead colour in wiuter. 



The female Whidali Bunting, when young, has much the appearance ol 



