168 



"WATER PIPTT. 



autumn. In autumn both young and old forsake tlieir 

 nesting-places, and betake tbemselves to brooks and 

 rivers in mountain valleys. It is seldom found in Ger- 

 many in winter." 



The egg, from which my figure was taken, is one of 

 two sent me by Mr. A. Newton, who received them 

 from M. Nager Donazain. There is something incom- 

 plete in their history, but the character of the egg 

 drawn corresponds with those in Badeker's plate. The 

 skin, from which my figure is taken, was also kindly 

 sent me by the same gentleman. 



In breeding-plumage the male has the top of the head 

 and nape bluish grey, more or less mottled with the 

 olive green tint of the back and rump. Wings and 

 tail rich hair brown, the greater and lesser coverts of 

 the former bordered with yellowish, which forms two 

 bands across the wing. The superciliary ridge is white; 

 cheeks grey; throat, sides of the neck, and crop, fawn- 

 coloured, more or less mottled with bluish grey; the 

 lower parts of the abdomen shaded off from this colour 

 to dirty white; under tail coverts Avhite. First four 

 primaries of nearly equal length, but the third slightly 

 the longest, and the first the shortest. The longest 

 tertial does not reach the end of the longest primary 

 by at least six lines. Beak, tarsi, and feet black; iris 

 brown. In winter the fawn-colour of the lower parts 

 is replaced by dirty white, with longitudinal spots more 

 or less on the abdomen and flanks; the superciliary ridge 

 is whiter, and the wing coverts are more broadly bor- 

 dered with whitish grey. This applies to both male 

 and female. 



The female in breeding-plumage does not differ much 

 from the male, except in having the fawn-colour more 

 russet, and the superciliary ridge whiter. 



