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It may be observed that, soon after death, the lower jjart of the bill, the legs, and the feet change to a 
delicate purplish colour from congestion of the blood in the small vessels, and ultimately become yellow or 
yellowish brown in the dried specimen. 
Young. A narrow band across the forehead and the whole of the face, sides of the head, and throat pure white ; 
crown of the head, nape, neck all round, and the entire body-plumage deep slate-grey, washed more or less 
with brown and darker on the npper surface, the feathers composing the mantle having pale brown margins ; 
the whole of the upper surface of the wings uniform blackish brown; rump and upper tail-coverts slaty brown 
with darker margins ; primaries and tail-feathers black, the shafts and the inner webs becoming greyish white 
in their concealed basal portion ; lining of wings and long axillary plumes pure white, the latter with delicate 
vermiculations of sooty brown near the tips. Irides brownish black; bill white horn-colour; legs and feet 
flesh-white. 
Ohs. The white patch on the face is very distinct, with well-defined edges ; it fills the whole region in front of 
the eyes, crosses the forehead along the base of the mandible, and passing well over the eyes extends beyond 
them almost to the ears, where it forms a sharp angle, and then, sweeping back over the cheeks, spreads 
downwards and expands so as to cover the whole of the throat. 
Nestling. Covered with pure white down. 
Progress towards maturity. As it takes a considerable time to attain the fully adult plumage, birds are to be 
met with in every intermediate stage, and are often very beautifully barred and freckled with dark brown, 
especially on the upper parts and sides of the body. In very old birds the wavy markings described above 
diminish considerably or entirely disappear. 
I have before me a fine series (now in my collection) showing the transitions of plumage through which 
this bird passes before it attains to the adult livery. 
No. 1 is a more advanced stage than the “ young ” described above. The whole of the plumage is many 
shades lighter ; the white on the face is more extensive, the narrow frontal band expanding to the width of an 
inch, and the patch extending beyond the throat halfway down the neck, still, however, preserving its charac- 
teristic form with a pretty well-defined outline ; the crown, hind neck, shoulders, and mantle darker brown, 
with very pale brown margins ; rump and tail-coverts uniform slaty brown ; upper surface of wings brownish 
black, the small coverts tipped with pale brown ; primaries and tail-feathers brownish black ; lower portion 
of fore neck, breast, and underparts generally dark chocolate- brown with bi’oad huffy margins, having a 
pretty wavy appearance on the sides of the breast, becoming lighter and more mixed on the abdomen, and 
darkening to blackish brown on the under tail-coverts ; the whole of the inner lining of wings and the 
axillary plumes pure white, the latter with pretty grey vermiculations, more or less distinct, towards the 
tips. This bird (which is probably a female) is undergoing a change of plumage ; the old, brown feathers 
composing the mantle have worn and abraded tips fading into huffy white ; and the new feathers are of a 
uniform slaty grey, with only a faint indication of margin. On the sides of the body and mixed with the 
dull brown plumage are likewise some new feathers, which are white, thickly freckled in a wavy manner with 
grey. Bill uniform yellowish horn-colour, changing to bright yellow on the unguis, which has a bluish patch 
at the base. Bill 6‘5 inches, following curvature 7'5. 
No. 2 has still lighter plumage ; the outline of the white patch disappears on the throat, merging into 
the brown plumage of the breast through a delicate shade of buff ; and the ground plumage being paler, the 
wavy light brown markings on the breast are not so conspicuous ; the feathers of the shoulders and mantle 
have broad margins of pale brown, many of them much abraded, and there is a strong wash of brown on the 
rump and tail-coverts ; the plumage of the underparts is likewise much lighter, becoming almost white on 
the abdomen. Judging by its large size this bird is a male. Bill from gape to tip 7 inches, followino- 
curvature of upper mandible 8 ; wing, from first flexure, 27 ; tail 8-75 ; tarsus 4-5. 
No. 3 is lighter on the underparts than No. 1, and with the white on the throat not so well defined 
although forming a distinct hood over the eyes ; hind neck, shoulders, and mantle much paler brown a few 
scattered white feathers with rayed markings appearing among the smaller scapulars; upper surface of wings 
and tail blackish brown ; sides of the body and under tail-coverts much vermiculated ; lining of wings and 
axillary plumes pure wdiite. Bill 6‘25, following curvature 7'75. 
