wing-coverts coloured like the back, the median ones tipped with white forming an irregular alar bar, 

 and the greater ones edged with whitish on the outer margin of the feather, which is in some instances 

 also tinged with golden ; quills dark brown, the primaries externally edged with golden, shading into 

 white towards the tip of the feather ; the secondaries margined with golden, the innermost ones with 

 whitish ; tail greyish brown edged with golden, becoming white towards the tip of the feather, the two 

 outer feathers conspicuously tipped with white, which colour is spread more over the inner web than 

 the outer, the greater part of the outermost feather greyish, more or less inclining to white ; the shafts 

 brown above, white beneath ; lores and feathers round the eye forming an indistinct eyebrow whitish ; 

 ear-coverts and sides of the neck greyish brown, tinged with whitish, and longitudinally marked with 

 darker brown ; a faint moustache buffy white with a few little triangular spots of brown ; throat white, 

 dotted with little spots of brown, which increase in size towards the breast, and are especially thick on 

 each side of the throat ; rest of the under surface of the body white, more or less tinged with buff or 

 golden colour, thickly covered with blackish spots, which are triangular on the upper breast, and oval 

 on the lower part of the latter and the abdomen ; under wing-coverts pure white ; bill dark horn-brown, 

 yellowish at the base near the nape; feet yellowish; iris dark brown. Total length 11 inches, 

 culmen 09, wing 6 - 0, tail 4-8, tarsus 1-3. 



Female. Exactly similar to the adult male, but perhaps not so brightly coloured, and the spots on the breast 

 more brown. We have, however, seen individuals sexed as females which were as brightly coloured as 

 ordinary adult males ; and we suspect that, when fully mature, there is no difference between the sexes. 

 Great variation seems to take place with regard to the number and colour of the spots on the breast, 

 some birds having them very black and distinct, and at the same time thinly distributed, while others 

 have them pale brown in colour, and so broad as to have almost the form of bars instead of spots, while 

 they are very thickly collected all over the under surface of the body. The amount of golden shade is 

 also a character which varies much. 



Young. Very golden in colour both above and below, and the plumage, more especially of the head and 

 neck, fluffy ; head golden-brown, with whitish centres to the feathers, and obscure little spots of black 

 at the extremity of each plume ; back more rich golden-brown, the centres of the feathers diamond- 

 shaped and bright golden in colour with black edgings ; rump entirely golden, varied slightly with 

 brown, where the bases of the feathers show ; wing-coverts also bright golden clown the centre, bordered 

 on each side with broad lines of brown ; greater coverts brown, edged and tipped with golden ; quills 

 blackish, edged with golden, the secondaries more broadly ; quills brown, tipped with white ; cheeks 

 clear golden with minute spots of brown, which are thickest behind the ear-coverts ; lores and a 

 tolerably distinct eyebrow whitish ; throat buffy white, bordered on each side by a moustachial stripe 

 of brown ; rest of the under surface of the body golden, paler on the abdomen, the breast thickly 

 covered with black spots, which are fewer on the abdomen; under wing-coverts whitish, slightly 

 marked with brown spots on the edge of the wing. 



Obs. The full-grown young bird loses most of the golden colour which renders it so beautiful in the 

 nestling-plumage, and becomes much bleached, so that the head appears dirty white, and the blackish 

 tips to the feathers are more plainly seen. The diamond-shaped centres to the feathers are also much 

 contracted, and become longitudinal shaft-streaks ; and the same is the case with the wing-coverts. On 

 the breast, which is dull white in colour, the spots are very small. It would seem as if the adult 

 plumage were assumed by a changing of the feather and by a direct moult at the same time ; for we 

 have specimens before us which show that the brown coloration of the upper surface is assumed by the 

 gradual narrowing of the golden centres to the feathers, till they become obliterated, and the plumes 

 arc left entirely pale grey brown ; but the breast changes by a moult, and the new feathers have very 



