482 AMERICAN WOODCOCK, 



two narrower, separated by bands of light red ; a brownish-black loral 

 band, and a narrow irregular line of the same across the cheek and con- 

 tinued to the occiput. The upper parts are variegated with brownish- 

 black, light yellowish-red, and ash-grey ; there are three broad longitudi- 

 nal bands of the first colour, barred with the second, down the back, se- 

 parated by two of the last. The inner wing-coverts and secondary quills 

 are similarly barred ; the outer pale greyish-red, faintly barred with dusky. 

 The quills are greyish-brown, tipped with dull grey, the secondaries spot- 

 ted on the outer web with dull red. Upper tail-coverts barred ; tail-fea- 

 thers brownish-black, their tips grey, their outer edges mottled with red- 

 dish. The sides of the neck are grey tinged with red ; the lower parts in 

 general light red, tinged with grey on the breast, on the sides and lower 

 wing-coverts deeper ; the lower tail-coverts with a central dusky line, and 

 the tip white. 



Length to end of tail 11 inches, to end of wings 9| ; wing from flexure 

 51 ; tail 2/2 ; bill along the ridge ^j^, along the edge of lower mandible 

 2j*| ; tarsus 1/^ ; middle toe 1/j, its claw ^. Weight 6^ oz. 



Adult Female. Plate CCLXVIII. Fig. 2. 



The Female, which is considerably larger, has the same colours as 

 the male. 



Length to end of tail lli'^^, to end of wings lO^^g, to end of claws 12^^ ; 

 wing from flexure 5/5 ; tail 2^^ ; bill along the ridge 2|§ ; along the edge 

 of lower mandible 2|| ; tarsus 1/g ; middle toe 2^^, its claw ^. Weight 

 81 oz. 



Young fledged. Plate CCLXVIII. Fig. 3. 



The Young when fully fledged is similar to the old female. 



