342 BRITISH BIRDS. 



green. A white stripe or patch is placed between 

 the bill and the eyes, and passing above them, 

 changes to a reddish chesnut as it is extended to 

 the nape. From the upper mandible a black line 

 also passes in the same way along the crown of 

 the head to the nape ; upon the upper edge of the 

 auriculars, near the eye, is a white spot, whence 

 commences a line of the same colour, which falls 

 down the sides of the neck, nearly its whole length, 

 to where it is crossed by a white band bordered 

 with black; commencing at the hinder part of the 

 neck, and pointing to the breast, another similar 

 white band, also bordered with black, passes nearly 

 from the shoulders to the breast; between these 

 two white lines the feathers are of a deepish ash 

 blue with lighter margins. The sides, which are 

 mostly hidden by the wings, are of a reddish or 

 rufous chesnut: the belly is brown. The back and 

 tail, upper and under coverts, are glossy black, 

 with a white spot on the sides of the latter: the 

 speculum, or beauty-spot, is of a well-grounded 

 violet colour : the scapulars are white in the middle, 

 with black edges: the legs, webs, and toes, are 

 blue. This bird seldom strays from the arctic 

 regions. The eggs are of a roundish form, and of 

 a pale buff colour. 



