THE SOEA RAIL. 
151 
feeble rounded feathers ; the upper and lower tail-coverts nearly as long as 
the tail-feathers. 
Bill yellow at the base, dusky towards the end. Iris bright chestnut. 
Feet yellowish-green ; claws light brown. A broad band surrounding the 
base of the bill, the central part of the crown, the chin, and the fore neck in 
its whole length, brownish black. Ear-coverts olive-brown ; a band over 
the eye, the cheeks, and the sides of the neck, ash-grey. Sides of the crown,, 
the hind neck, and the rest of the upper parts, olive-brown ; the feathers 
brownish-black in the centre, those on th'e back with two marginal lines of 
white. Smaller wing-coverts of a lighter brown ; secondary coverts margin- 
ed with black and white markings ; quills dusky olive-brown, as is the tail. 
Middle of breast and abdomen greyish-white ; sides barred with brownish- 
black and greyish white, as are the lateral feathers of the rump, those of the 
abdomen reddish-yellow. 
Length to end of tail 9 T 3 2 inches ; to end of wings 8f, to end of claws 12 ; 
extent of wings 14 ; wing from flexure 4 T 8 2 ; tail 2 ; bill along the ridge 
along the edge of the lower mandible 41; tarsus lyV ; middle toe l/a, its claw 
4*. Weight 7 oz. 
Adult Female. 
The female differs considerably from the male in colouring. The naked 
parts and iris are similar, as are the upper parts generally ; but the black 
around the base of the bill, on the head, and fore neck is wanting, the fore 
part of the head being light brown, the chin whitish, the sides of the neck 
light greyish-brown. The white lines of the back are duller, and the dark 
bands of the sides of a lighter tint. 
Young Male. 
The young male, after its first moult, is intermediate in colouring between 
the adult male and the female, but more like the latter, the black on the 
head and fore neck appearing in spots, and the sides of the neck being neai-ly 
as in the female. 
