258 
Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 
The specimens collected at Wakkerstroom are in freshly moulted 
plumage, and the following description taken from them may be regarded 
as typical of the species at that season : — 
Crown brown with indistinct pale margins to the feathers, producing 
a faintly streaked appearance, back of neck paler and more sandy coloured, 
forming a patch between the head and darker coloured back ; scapulars, 
and upper part of back variegated with very dark brown, sandy rufous 
and white, each of the feathers being very dark brown for the greater 
part, margined with sandy rufous, and some of the outer tips edged with 
white ; lower back and rump uniform bright rufous ; upper tail-coverts 
like the rump, but with dark centres to the feathers, the dark centres being 
hidden by the overlapping rufous tips ; tail feathers more or less dark 
brown, tinged with rufous, especially on the outer margins, with white 
tips, and a distinct rufous sub terminal patch on the inner web of all but 
the two middle ones ; seen from below the tail feathers are lighter coloured, 
showing off a distinct large dark brown sub terminal mark on both webs 
primaries brown, the basal half of each margined externally with wood- 
brown ; outer secondaries like the primaries, the inner like the wing- 
coverts ; all the wing-coverts dark brown, broadly margined with pale 
sandy yellow ; lores, chin, throat and middle of under surface of body 
white ; breast and under tail-coverts pale buff ; flanks, thighs, and under 
wing- coverts bright tawny rufous. Iris straw-colour ; maxilla brown, 
mandible horn-colour ; legs and feet flesh-colour. Length in the flesh 
107 mm. 
As the season advances the plumage of the upper surface becomes 
frayed and is then more uniform, especially on the crown. The specimens 
from Moorddrift have not assumed the full summer dress, and in one the 
outermost primaries are in a half-moulted condition. 
Females in Summer Plumage. 
No. Locality. Date. Wing. 1st Prim. Tail. Tars. Mid. Toe. Culm. 
6987 Pretoria 18/12/09 50 14 35 18 9 10-5 
9530 Matatiele 8/2/12 48 13 36 17 8-5 9 
9209 Matoppos, Rho. 17/4/08 47 12 ? 33 17 9 9-5 
These differ from the adult males in having the crown more distinctly 
streaked and the forehead paler. A Pretoria specimen measured in the 
flesh is given as 101 mm. in length. 
Specimens in Winter and Juvenile Plumage. 
No. 
Locality. 
Date. 
Sex. Wing. 
1st 
Prim. 
Tail. 
Tars.. 
Mid. 
Toe. 
Culm 
6985 
Goud Eiv., Tvl. 
21 /7/10 
% 
49 
15 
43 
18-5 
9-5 
10 
6986 
Pretoria 
6/8/10 
(J (?) 
49 
16 
40 
18 
9-5 
% 
8989 
13 /3 /II 
? 
49 
16 
33 
18 
9-5 
10 
8988 
Umbelluzi Elver 
2075/11 
2 
47 
2 
39 
18 
9-5 
10 
6993 
Eed Hill 
15 /4/10 
? (]UV.) 
46 
16 
38 
17 
9 
10 
8990 
Matatiele 
2 /8 /II 
<? (?) 
47 
16 
39 
17 
9 
10 
9531 
' 3/3/12 
8/2/12 
3/3/12 
<? (i' iv -) 
3 (juv.) 
? (juv.) 
50 
17 
36 
18 
9 
10 
9676 
JJ 
48 
13 
36 
17 
9 
10 
9532 
JJ •••••• 
5? 
47 
17 
34 
16 
9 
10 
