247 



Throat unspotted white. 



Fore part of neck brindled with black and white, the base 

 of each feather being as a rule black, the outward extremity white. 

 Below, the black feathers predominate, and form a broadish black 

 patch on the breast, the feathers of which have strong reflections, 

 and are either entirely black or but narrowly fringed with white. 

 This pectoral blotch is never wanting, though sometimes it is a 

 little raixed with white feathers. 



Under plumage white, but seldom without a few black feathers 

 interspersed, more especially between the feet and on the flanks. 

 The presence or absence of these black spots is no doubt entirely 

 individual, and would not appear to be in any way dependent on 

 the season of the year. Indeed the colour of the flanks varies 

 more than does that ol any other part of the body. 



Rectrices black with fine white tips, which are broadest on the 

 median feathers (from 4 to 8 mm) 5 continuing to narrow towards 

 the extremity, and assuming on the outermost the appearance of a 

 thread-like white line. The outermost tail-feather is from 12 to 

 24 mm longer than the 5th, which is about the same length as 

 the other median rectrices. Hence the tail is forked, much as in 

 leir. tetrix ?. 



Upper tail-coverts black, with a bro ad (about 10 mm) white 

 margin. In some individuals, there is a faint sprinkling of brownish 

 on the outer web. 



Under tail-coverts white; the length is about that of the retri- 

 ces, perhaps a trifle shorter. 



Primaries grey-brown with whitish edges; the outer web al- 

 most entirely white, faintly sprinkled with greyish-brown. Shafts 

 dark-brown. 



Secondaries : the first entirely white, and remarkably shorter 

 (as' much as 30 mm) than the others. The latter are principally 

 white, but a trifle speckled with greyish-brown along the shafts. 

 One of the individuals examjned has the first six secondaries almost 

 entirely white. The tips (20 to 30 mm) are white, whereby a white 

 transverse band appears upon the closed wings. 



