SHARP-TAILED GROUS. 571 
the fourth next, the second shorter than the fifth, the sixth longer than 
the first. Tail short, much graduated, of sixteen feathers, of which the 
lateral are three inches shorter than the central; all the feathers are 
more or less concave, excepting the two middle worn along the inner 
edge, obliquely and abruptly terminated, the two middle projecting 
an inch beyond the next. 
Bill dusky above, brown beneath ; iris light hazel; superciliary 
membrane vermilion ; toes brownish-grey, claws brownish-black. ‘The 
upper parts are variegated with light red or brownish-orange, brown- 
ish-black and white ; the black occupying the central part of the fea- 
thers, the light red forming angular processes from the margin, gene- 
rally dotted with black, and a lighter bar near the end; the white being 
in terminal, triangular, or guttiform spots on the scapulars and wing- 
coverts. The alula, primary coverts, secondary coverts, and quills are 
greyish-brown, the coverts spotted and tipped with white ; the prima- 
ries with white spots on the outer web, the inner tipped with white, 
as are all the secondaries, of which the outer have two bars of white 
spots, and the inner are coloured like the back. The tail is white, at 
the base variegated, and the two middle feathers like the back. Loral 
space, and a line behind the eye, white; a dusky streak beneath the 
eye, succeeded by a light coloured one. ‘The throat is reddish-white, 
with some dusky spots ; the fore part and sides of the neck barred with 
dusky and reddish-white ; on the lower part of the neck and fore 
part of the breast, the dusky bars become first curved, and then arrow- 
shaped, and so continue narrowing on the hind part of the breast, and 
part of the sides, of which the upper portion is barred ; the abdomen, 
lower tail-coverts, axillar feathers, and most of the lower wing-coverts, 
white. The hair-like feathers of the tarsi are light brownish-grey, 
faintly barred with greyish-white. 
Length to end of tail 174 inches, to end of wings 14, to end of claws 
17; extent of wings 23; wing from flexure 8%, tail 43; bill along the 
ridge 1%, along the edge of lower mandible 1/4; tarsus 175; hind toe 
+s, its claw 3%; ; middle toe 14, its claw 75. 
Adult Female. Plate CCCLX XXII. Fig. 2. 
The Female is considerably smaller, but is coloured like the male, 
the tints being duller. 
