AN8EE GAMBELI AS A BRITISH BIRD. 343 



characterises the first plumage. In this bird the under parts 

 have become a dirty-looking umber; on the upper part of the 

 breast there are a few feathers left marbled with blackish umber, 

 these alone showing clearly enough that it is a case of the 

 extraction of the dark colouring matter. The upper breast is 

 drab, with the edges of the feathers worn and abraded-looking. 

 The flanks have a few of the dark large new feathers coming, 

 bordered with dull white. The general appearance of the 

 upper parts is paler than in first plumage, the bill is clearer, 

 and the nail nearly all white. Bill 2"13 in.; tarsus 2*65 in.; 

 wing 15|-in. 



In the third stage the under parts have now assumed that 

 appearance which the Americans call " speckle belly," the dark 

 markings having so far faded away that the centres only of the 

 feathers remain dark, making the under parts look as though 

 speckled all over with dark umber. It is not necessary to 

 describe any other portions of this bird's plumage, excepting 

 that there is scarcely a trace of white at the base of the bill, and 

 the blackish has a rusty look. 



Male. — Length 28§ in.; wing 16 in.; weight 5|- lb.; 

 bill 2'13 in.; tarsus 2'93 in. The nail on bill is entirely 

 dark. 



The fourth stage is very interesting ; it is still a " speckle- 

 belly," but the clean-looking new greyish drab feathers are 

 appearing on the upper breast and amongst the under parts, which 

 are becoming almost white, while some of the old feathers have 

 almost entirely lost the dark centres, giving a much whiter appear- 

 ance to the under parts, which makes the speckles show up more 

 distinctly. The flank feathers are well grown, and have broad 

 white outer margins. The upper tail-coverts have become almost 

 entirely white. There is a good space of white at the base of 

 the bill, which is clearer yellow with the nail partly white. In 

 the wing this bird shows the paler slaty drab outer wing-coverts, 

 which runs through the rest of the series, becoming palest in the 

 black-breasted adults, and in this differing distinctly from the 

 adults of A. albifrons. 



Male. — Length 28|- in. ; wing 16| in. ; weight 5 J lb. ; bill 

 2*1 in. ; tarsus 2*95 in. ; neck 8f in. 



