388 THE BIEDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 



dark smoky colour, marked at the sides with green hues, which extend 

 from the breast. The flanks are Hght brown, with blue spots occupying 

 the tips of the feathers. The primaries are brown, with sandy-yellow outer 

 webs ; from the base up to two thirds of their length the inner webs are 

 marked with triangular grey spots. The secondaries have light dirty-brown 

 edges, pale tops, and pied webs. The upper wing-coverts are ashy grey, with 

 a slight greenish tint and white shafts. The back, wing-coverts, and ter- 

 tiaries have violet-brown spots on both webs. Under wing- coverts grey, 

 sometimes with a yellow shade, with dark-brown cross bands. Tail light 

 brown ; the tail-feathers, with the exception of the four or five outer ones, 

 have broad light4ilac tips, and are marked with black cross bands, 

 which latter are again edged with pale yellow. The under tail-coverts are 

 brown. 



The female is very pale in coloration. The crown of the head is spotted 

 with black ; the lores, the wide lines under the eyes, and the narrow (hardly 

 perceivable) eyebrows are white ; and there is a spot of the same colour behind 

 each ear. The throat is yellowish white. The neck and crop are shaded with 

 rose-colour; the former is marked with narrow blackish cross bands, and the 

 latter with horseshoe-shaped black spots. The feathers on the front part of 

 the neck have a light-brown base, with black edges and greyish rose tip. 

 The remaining upper parts of the body are marked with yellow streaks and 

 black spots on a light-brown ground. The breast, abdomen, and vent are 

 dull sandy yellow, without any markings. The flanks are of the same colour, 

 but have indistinctly marked black cross bands. The quills have dark brown 

 and reddish yellow bands ; the large and middle upper wing-coverts are pale 

 yellow, with black lines, which get duller towards the ends of the feathers ; 

 the small upper and the under wing-coverts are pale brown. The tail- 

 feathers are light reddish brown, with close black bands, which latter are 

 again intercepted by yellow lines. 



