112 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



delineated, the peculiar markings on the back and wing-coverts being 

 unmistakable. I have, fortunately, had the chance of comparing my 

 specimen (which proved to be a female, and which closely resembles the 

 young bird figured by Gould) with the other Yarmouth specimen, and 

 though the sex was not noted when it was stuffed, and the measurements 

 cannot be accurately taken now, I think— from its being slightly larger 

 than mine, and the tints of the plumage generally brighter — it is, in all 

 probability, a male. It differs chiefly from my own in the following 

 points: — The bill, though the same length, looks stouter, being less 

 tapering in form. The feathers on the crown of the head and nape are 

 darker in tint and more distinctly freckled. The white line over the 

 eye and extending back forms a marked feature, though scarcely traceable 

 in mine, and the forehead and feathers extending to the nostrils are of a 

 purer white. The grey tints of the neck, passing forwards and downwards 

 in front of the pinions, when close (as shown in Gould's plate) cover a more 

 extended space, are darker and more distinctly barred, but in both the 

 throat, breast, and under parts generally are of a spotless white. The 

 feathers on the back and wing-coverts have the terminal margins much 

 brighter, and the mottled appearance is therefore more striking. The 

 outer webs of the primaries are a more pronounced black, and the sixth 

 primary has an oblong white patch on the outer web, besides the white tip — 

 the white of the inner web passing round the tip of the feather, where it 

 joins on to a black spot having this oblong white patch just above it. This 

 peculiarity is not traceable in my own specimen. The tail-feathers have 

 the black on the anterior portions, like the primaries, of a richer hue, and 

 the white marginal lines are much more vivid. The description given by 

 Mr. Hartiug (' Birds of Middlesex,' p. 252) of the Middlesex specimen 

 agrees very closely with my own, and though the sex was not ascertained it 

 was probably, I should say, a female. Like mine, also, it had uo " white 

 spot of an oval shape" on the outer web of the sixth primary, which, as 

 before stated, is so noticeable in the other Yarmouth bird, whether a male 

 or not. It would seem, however, that the young of this species differ not a 

 little, inter se, independent of any sexual differences, as the first Irish 

 specimen (Belfast Bay, Sept. Iy22), recorded and described by Thompson, 

 exhibited the following peculiarities, not observable in either, or in one 

 only, of the Norfolk birds, nor in that killed in Middlesex. The sex is not 

 given ; — (1) A narrow line of "greyish black, closely encircling the front and 

 lower part of the eye." " Space immediately above the eye," white, as in one, 

 only, of the Yarmouth birds. (2) Back, wing-coverts, &c, " blackish grey, 

 tinged with yellowish brown" On the outer web of the sixth primary, 

 " a white spot of an oval shape appears," as in the supposed Yarmouth 

 male. (3) " Under part of throat and under part of the breast pale ash- 

 colour." In both Norfolk birds the under part of the throat and passing 



