Hemipodes. 59 



number of eggs is often three, more 

 commonly four, and occasionally five. 

 The egg is pyriform in shape, very 

 rounded at one end and abruptly and 

 sharply pointed at the other, and it is 

 generally very glossy. The ground- 

 colour is a greyish white, and the whole 

 egg is thickly covered with dots, specks 

 and blotches of yellowish, reddish brown 

 and dark brown or black. The average 

 size of a considerable number of eggs 

 is '94 by 78. 



The male has the upper plumage a 

 mixture of rufous, black and buff, the 

 proportion of each colour varying greatly 

 in individuals. The chin and throat are 

 whitish, and the lower plumage buff, the 

 foreneck and the whole breast being 

 strongly barred with black. 



The female resembles the male, but 

 has the whole chin, throat and foreneck 

 black. 



Length up to 6^ ; wing up to 3^ ; tail 

 a little more than i ; legs bluish ; irides 

 whitish ; bill plumbeous. Weight up to 

 2 \ oz, 



