80 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vii. 



examinations go to prove that female birds do not breed 

 until the third spring. 



Adult-plumage. — ^At the age of two years the bird 

 commences another complete moult similar to that 

 of the year before, and changes directly into its third 

 winter-plumage which is that of the adult female. This 

 is generally finished in November, when the female may 

 be said to be adult at twenty-eight months — ^in fact 

 maturity is reached at the same time as in the case of 

 the male. 



In the following spring she breeds. Females in the 

 fourth year are more brilliant than those in the third 

 year. 



The female is in her best plumage in February. Head 

 and neck sandy-rufous speckled with black ; crown dark 

 bro\^Ti with sandy borders ; mantle, scapulars, upper parts 

 of the wing, hack, and rump dark brown, the feathers edged 

 with sandy or rufous ; tail brown ; primaries nearly black ; 

 secondaries and secondary-coverts brown with paler edges, 

 the outer edges broadly transversed with white and forming 

 two alar bars ; the five inner secondaries are a rich sandy- 

 rufous ; chin inclined to grey ; upper-breast, flanks, and 

 under tail-coverts dark brown, the feathers edged with sandy 

 or rufous ; rest of under -parts greyish-brown. Legs and 

 toes brownish-slate with green suffusion ; hill like that of 

 the male only paler. Length 24 in., wing 11 in., tarsus 1.75 in. 



Note. — With age there is an inclination on the part of 

 the long secondaries to curl downwards, but not to such an 

 extent as is seen in the male. 



