176 
WOODCOCK. 
the comers of the eye to the rictus, there is a streak 
of the same rich brown colour, below the auriculars a 
longitudinal patch, and on the fore part of the neck, 
two oval patches, also brown, the latter formed by 
the tips and bars on the feathers being very broad 
and uniting. The upper plumage is a mixture of 
chestnut -brown, pale ochraceous, and grey, inter- 
spersed with black and rich brown markings, 
chastely disposed, the pale colours being generally 
surrounded by a dark margin often shading into 
them. The rump and the tail-coverts are chestnut- 
brown, the latter concealing the tail until within 
three-quarters of an inch from the tip. Wings 
blackisli-brown, interiorly appearing pale sapio- 
brown, the feathers cut into on the edge of each 
web with triangular markings, on the outer of chest- 
nut-brown, on the inner of reddish wood-brown ; 
the outer web of the first quill is generally paler, 
in some instances yellowish-white, that colour pre- 
dominating, and the dark assuming the form of tri- 
angular spots upon it. The tail, of twelve feathers, 
is black, the outer webs of the feathers cut into 
with chestnut-brown ; the tips above grey, on the 
under side appearing pure white ; under parts yel- 
lowish-white, of a redder tinge on the breast, and 
varying in specimens to a more ochreous and redder 
tint ; the whole is narrowly barred with blackish 
or hair-brown; under tail-covert ochreous, with 
black centres. Legs, and base of the bill, pale 
brownish-pink ; the tint of the latter increasing in 
intensity to the tip, where it becomes nearly black. 
