314 BRITISH BIRDS. 



the shoulders, part of the scapulars, sides under 

 the wings, and lower belly, towards the vent, are 

 elegantly pencilled Avith black, ash brown, and 

 white transverse waved lines : the breast, greatly 

 resembling the beautifully spotted appearance of 

 an Indian shell, is of a pale brown or reddish 

 yellow, and each feather is tipped with a roundish 

 heart-shaped black spot : the belly is a cream- 

 coloured white : back and rump ash brown, each 

 feather freckled and edged with a paler colour : 

 vent black : the primary quills, and lesser and 

 greater coverts are brown ; the last deeply tipped 

 with white, which forms a bar across the wings : 

 the first six of the secondary quills are of a fine 

 velvet black ; those next to them, towards the 

 scapulars, are of a most resplendent glossy green, 

 and both are tipped with white, forming the di- 

 vided black and green bar, or beauty-spot of the 

 wings. The tail consists of fourteen feathers, of a 

 hoary brown colour, with pale edges : the legs and 

 feet are of a dirty lead colour. The female, which 

 is less than the male, is prettily freckled about 

 the head and neck with brown and white. She 

 has not the green patch behind the eyes, but a 

 brown streak there, which extends itself to the 

 nape of the neck : the crown of the head is dark 

 brown : the upper mandible yellow on the edges, 

 olive green on the sides, and olive brown on the 

 ridge ; nail black, and the under bill yellow : 

 breast, belly, and vent glossy yellowish white, 

 spotted on the latter parts with brown : the upper 

 plumage is dark brown, each feather bordered with 

 rusty brown, and edged with grey: the wings and 

 legs nearly the same as those of the male. 



