104 BTIS8ET-NECKED NIGHTJAB. 



tliroiio-h a long series of years. The bristles and the comb have a 

 distinct relation to each other. They are parts of the organic structure 

 of the being. Did they vary separately or simultaneously? Were they 

 produced independently or in distinct relation to each other? How- 

 much more good would the Reviewers of Darwin do by going into 

 questions like these, rather than giving us long and very often unin- 

 telligible and dull dissertations, in which fine writing is more aimed at 

 than sound science. The physiological part of the question, evidently 

 the most important, tliey seldom or never touch. 



The prevailing tint of the u.pper plumage is grey, more or less tinged 

 witb rufous, which is the prevailing colour of the wings and all tlie 

 inferior parts. The head has the sides grey, with a broad band of 

 rufous, and dark brown longitudinal spots between. The nape is 

 composed of the rufous collar which gives the bird its name. Back 

 and upper tail coverts and feathers grey, barred and striated irregularly 

 with rufous and dark brown. The scapularies and upper wing coverts 

 light rufous, mingled with grey and rich dark brown". The lesser 

 wing coverts, primaries, and secondaries, deep chesnut, barred with 

 darker brown. The first three primaries have a large white oval spot 

 on their inner web, each spot from the first being slightly nearer the 

 tip of the feathers. The other primaries are tipped with grey, and 

 more deeply bordered at the ends with the same colour darker. 



The first primary is about half an inch shorter than the second and 

 third, which are longest. The fourth is an inch shorter than the first, 

 and the fifth one inch shorter than the fourth. Throat, cheeks, and 

 chest, light rufous, with a large white spot on the former; abdomen 

 still lighter rufous, finely barred with brown | under tail coverts fawn- 

 colour. When closed the tail is grey above, divided into a cup-within- 

 cup pattern, the intervals of which at the sides are fawn-colour; below 

 the tail is fawn-colour, thickly barred with dark blackish brown, and 

 terminating with white; the three lateral feathers on each side have 

 this character above and below, while the rest are dark mottled brown, 

 tipped and edged with fawn-colour. Beak black; feet and iris brown. 



My figure is from a specimen sent me by the Rev. Canon Tristram, 

 marked "Bojhar Forest, 29th. May, 1856." The egg is from one in 

 my own collection, taken near Seville by Mr. Howard Saunders. 



It has also been figured by Vieillot, Faun. Franc, pi. 62, fig. 2; 

 Roux, Ornith. Provence, pi. 148; Gould, B. of E., pi. 52. A specimen 

 is recorded by Mr. Hancock as having been captured at Killingworth, 

 near Newcastle, on the 6th. of October, 1856, and in consequence it 

 has been figured by Mr. Gould in his "Birds of Great Britain," but 

 it has no title whatever to be classed among British Birds. 



