196 
SYLVIAD.E. 
toes brownish ; the young birds have flesh-coloured feet, with 
claws of nearly the same hue. The tarsus measures nearly 
an inch in length, the middle toe and claw nine lines, and 
the hinder about seven lines, of which one half is the claw. 
The plumage of the Alpine Accentor is exceedingly close 
and soft, and its varied colours are as follows. The adult 
male has the head, nape, and sides of the neck, cheeks, and 
forehead, brownish ash-colour, the latter tinged with yel¬ 
lowish brown; the back and shoulder feathers are dark 
brown in their centre, and along their shafts to their tips; 
broadly edged with cinereous ash, which gives place to pale 
rust-colour on the scapulars. In some specimens the rump 
is reddish ash-colour with dark shaft streaks; in others plain 
grey. The throat and chest are very prettily marked, the 
ground-colour being white, bordered beloAv with a black 
band, and speckled over with crescent-shaped dusky spots : the 
remainder of the chest and breast are soft reddish ash-colour; 
the sides of the breast and flanks fine rush-colour, AAuth loose 
whitish edges to the feathers. The rest of the under parts 
are white, tinged with yellowish brown, and spotted with darker 
brown: the under tail-coverts are dusky, broadly tipped 
with wdiite: the lesser wing-coverts are yellowish grey ; the 
lower row bordering upon the greater coverts dusky towards 
the end, Avith pure Avhite tips; the larger wing-coverts dusky 
Avith yelloAvish ash-coloured edges, and three cornered white 
spots on the tips ;—by these feathers two Avhite bands are 
formed across the Avings. The tertials are dusky, bordered 
Avith rust, and have faded edges ; the secondary quill-feathers 
are duller in colour, Avith narroAver edges. The primaries are 
dark broAvn, edged Avith rust yelloAv: the tail-feathers are 
dusky ash, palest towards the root, all broader at the base 
than at the tip ; the feathers individually edged with yellow¬ 
ish grey, and Avith a rust-coloured spot at the tip. The 
under part of the tail is dark ash-colour Avith Avhite tips. 
This is their appearance in autumn. 
