Birds, 3535 



remaining black feathers, by their recurved shape, still point out the 

 former position of the ruff. In describing this bird, I have taken it 

 for granted that the plumage is in a state of transition from the sum- 

 mer to the winter dress, though the appearance of some of the feathers 

 would almost suggest a contrary change being in progress. Possibly 

 the young males do not assume the full adult plumage until their se- 

 cond year, and appear in a mixed, imperfect garb during the first 

 breeding-season. 



As the species is a native of Africa, this individual may have been 

 brought thence in confinement; yet there is nothing in its appearance 

 to justify such a conclusion, nor does it seem at all improbable that it 

 might have wandered hither of its own free will. When killed, it was 

 in the company of a flock of our common finches. Its crop was filled 

 with the seeds of grass and other small herbs, and it was reported, on 

 dissection, to have proved a female ; this must clearly have been an 

 error of the person who preserved it, as the plumage sufficiently indi- 

 cates its true sex. It was shot in September last, upon Otmoor, in 

 this county, a tract of low ground comprising upwards of 2000 acres, 

 the whole being subject to extensive floods, and often visited by many 

 of our rarer birds. Until the beginning of the present century it was 

 entirely waste, but has since been inclosed. 



The following description has been taken from the specimen in its 

 present state ; it is now in the collection of the Rev. W. S. Hore, of 

 St. Clement's, Oxford, who has very kindly allowed me to make known 

 its occurrence. 



Length, 1\ inches. 



Wing, from carpal joint, 3£ 



Tail, total length, 3£ 



Tarsus, I 



Middle toe, £ 



Bill, from base, 7 | 



Upper mandible of the bill black, lower mandible of a pale horn- 

 colour shaded with black. Feathers of the head, front of the neck, 

 anterior part of the breast, belly, rump, and lower part of the back, 

 together with the wings and tail, of a deep glossy black ; in most of 

 these parts a few brown feathers of the winter dress may be already 

 seen. On the lower part of the breast is a large and conspicuous 

 white patch, above which, and also on the upper coverts of the wing, 

 are a few feathers tipped with white. On the back of the neck and 

 shoulders the winter plumage prevails ; on the former, however, a few 



