7 6 BRITISH BIRDS. 



forms an oblique bar across the extended wings: 

 the primaries, except the first three, are edged on 

 the exterior webs with white ; shafts also mostly 

 white, and each feather is sharply pencilled and 

 distinctly defined with a light colour about the 

 tips: a darkish spot covers each side of the head, 

 from the corners of the mouth, and a pale streak 

 passes from the bill over each eye: the throat and 

 fore part of the neck, to the breast, are yellowish 

 white, mottled with brown spots : a dusky crescent- 

 shaped patch, the feathers of which are narrowly 

 edged with white, covers, the breast, the horns 

 pointing towards !he thighs : the belly and vent 

 are white : the middle tail feathers black, edged 

 with ferruginous ; the others pale ash, edged with 

 white ; legs and thighs black. The female is 

 rather larger than the male, but, in other respects, 

 resembles him pretty nearly. The}' breed in 

 England and Scotland, and are said to be widely 

 dispersed over both Europe and America. 



The above description and figure were taken 

 from a pair sent by the Rev. C. Rudston, of 

 Sandhutton, near York, the 22nd of April, 1799; 

 and the author has been favoured by his friends, 

 with numbers of these, and others of the same 

 genus; not two of which were exactly alike. 



Our figure represents a bird in the summer 

 plumage. 



