COMMON GREENSHANK. 87 
under parts are pure unsullied white, except the under 
tail-coverts, which have the feathers spotted with 
black in the direction of the shafts : the top of the 
back and scapulars are deep black ; the feathers of the 
former edged with white, and of the latter varied ]}y 
three or four whitish-red spots, which are placed near 
the margins of the webs : the bend of the wing is 
black: the greater wing-coverts, and the long fea- 
thers which protect the quills, are of a reddish-grey, 
spotted in the direction of the shafts with black ; and 
the long feathers have also small black interrupted 
streaks disposed near the edges of the webs : the rest 
of the coverts are edged with white, which is followed 
by a band of brown: the two intermediate tail-fea- 
thers are ash-coloured, with transverse brown zigzag 
stripes. The young have the space between the upper 
mandible and the eye, the throat, the middle of the 
breast, the belly, the rest of the under parts of 
the body, and the middle of the back, pure white : 
the head, cheeks, sides, and fore part of the neck 
and sides of the breast are longitudinally rayed with 
brownish-ash and white : the feathers on the top of 
the back, the scapulars, and the wing-coverts, are 
dusky-brown, edged with a deep margin of whitish- 
yellow: the larger elongated feathers on the edges 
of the quills are ornamented with small deep brown 
diagonal stripes : the tail is white, the middle fea- 
thers being rayed transversely, and the two lateral 
ones longitudinally, with brown : the tip of the quills 
is whitish : the under wing-coverts are rayed with 
bl own : the beak is brownish-ash : the legs of a yel- 
lowish-green. 
