WHEATEAR. 65 
inches and three quarters; bill, deep black, moderately strong, 
the upper one slightly notched, much compressed towards 
the tip, and somewhat widened at the base; the inside of 
the mouth and the tongue are also black; iris, brown—the 
eyelids black; a black streak runs to and over and widely 
under it from the base of the bill, expanding behind it, and 
over it is a band of white from the forehead, which is also 
white; a few bristles surround the base of the bill. Head, 
crown, neck on the back, and nape, bluish grey, each feather 
slightly tipped with pale brown; the sides of the ueck become 
rufous after the autumnal moult, and the other parts tinged 
with brown; chin and throat, dull white, tinged with pale 
rufous after the autumnal moult; breast, pale yellowish or 
reddish brown, approaching to cream-colour; on its lower part 
dull white, slightly tinged with yellowish, which becomes rufous 
after the autumnal moult; back above, grey, with a tinge of 
pale reddish brown; below, white for a small part. 
The wings, rather long, extending to the width of one 
foot and half an inch, have the first quill feather about 
three quarters of an inch long, the second a little shorter 
than the third and fourth, which are the longest, and of 
nearly equal length, but the third rather the longer of the 
two, the fifth the same length as the second; greater and 
lesser wing coverts, almost black, but broadly edged with 
rufous brown after the moult; primaries, secondaries, and 
tertiaries, brownish black, all more or less margined and 
tipped with brownish white; they are broadly edged with rufous 
brown after the moult; greater and lesser under wing coverts, 
blackish brown, broadly edged with white. The tail has the 
side feathers white on their inner part for two thirds of 
their length, the remainder black, and all are white on their 
lower part; the two central feathers have less white: it is 
tipped narrowly with buff white after the moult; the side 
feathers slightly turn outwards; they are all broad and rounded 
at the end; upper tail coverts, white, very conspicuous in 
flight; under tail coverts, also white, which verges to pale 
rufous after the autumnal moult. Legs, long, thin, and black; 
toes and claws, black, the latter rather long, moderately curved, 
and very sharp until worn by age. 
The female nearly resembles the male, but her colours are: 
less pure; length, six inches and a half; bill, deep black; 
iris, brown; the streak over the eye is brownish white, and 
less distinct, tinged with red im the autumn, and there is 
VOI. TV. F 
