No. 5, a male, killed at Cumberland House in the same month, corresponds
exactly with the preceding in colour of the plumage, form of the bill, the relative
lengths of the quill feathers, &c., except that the inner wing coverts are totally
white, without bars, and the spots on the under surface of the body are much
smNalole.r .1, a male, killed at Carlton a fortnight earlier than Nos. 3 and 5, differs
from them in having central yellowish-brown oval marks on the breast feathers,
some pretty large brown bars on the flanks and under tail coverts, many arrow-
shaped spots on the thighs, and dark cinereous heart-shaped marks on the linings
of the wings. The upper plumage had a browner tinge, and the tail is darker,
with five more complete blackish-brown bars. The lobe of the upper mandible is
equally distinct as in the other two specimens, and, with the very slight exception
of the first quill feather being merely equal to the seventh, instead of exceeding it,
the wings have a similar structure.
DESCRIPTION
Of (No. 2.) a female, in full plumage, killed at the nest, May 14,1827-
C olour of the whole dorsal aspect’liver-brown; the feathers of the crown of the head,
upper part of the neck, and lesser wing coverts, together with some of the scapularies, are
edged with pale yellowish-brown. There are also some narrow chestnut-brown edges on the
rump feathers; but the rest of the upper plumage, including the quill feathers and greater
coverts, are unmixed fiver-brown: the tips of the secondaries and primary coverts are edged
with soiled white. The tail coverts are white. The tail is crossed by six bars of liver-brown,
of which the subterminal one is the broadest: its tip is soiled white. On the four middle
feathers thé bars are separated by a paler colour, approaching to clove-brown ; on the more
exterior feathers the spaces between the bars on the inner webs are pale yellowish-brown.
Under surface. The cheeks are more ferruginous than the crown of the head, and the feathers
of the facial semicirclé are mostly edged with brownish-white. The under surface of the
neck is.fiver-brown, with white and yelloWish-brown edgings. The belly, under tail coverts,
and posterior part of the wing linings, are pale yellowish-brown, with conspicuous chestnut-
coloured elliptical spots. The remainder of the finings of the wings are faint straw-yellow,
blotched with dark clove-brown. The under surfaces of the quill and tail feathers are barred
with clové-brown, the intermediate spaces being yellowish-white, gradually changing to
brownish-grey.
F o rm .— The lobe on the cutting margin of the upper mandible is well marked. The third
quill feather is equal to the fourth ; the fifth is half an inch shorter ; the second is an inch
shorter than the third ; the sixth is two inches and a half shorter than the fifth; and the
first and seventh are an ineh shorter than the sixth. The. toe? are.scutellated above to their
bases, and the inner edge of the middle claw is very acute, the groove producing it being very
distinct.
D im en sio n s
Of the female No. 2.
Length from the tip of the bill to the- end o■f In. ches. Lines.. Length, of the bill along the ridge
the tail . . . . . - . 2 2 . B . 'of,the tarsus . ,
„ of the tail . . .. .4Sio 3 „ of the middle toe . ,
of the longest quill feathers . 14 6
Another female (No. 4), killed on the plains of the Saskatchewan in the
beginning of June, corresponded in every point with the preceding.
DESCRIPTION
Of (No. 6.) a young male (supposed to be of the preceding season), killed at Great Bear Lake, lat. 65°, May 31, 1826.
C olour of the dorsal aspect liver-brown. The feathers of the head are narrowly edged with
deep orange-brown, and there is a whitish border to the orbit, most conspicuous behind. The
facial circles meet on the nape of the neck, and the feathers composing them have liver-brown
centres and tips, lateral margins of pale wood-brown, and white bases. The feathers of the
neck have mostly yellowish-brown edges. The back is of an uniform liver-brown, with a pale
yellowish-brown spot on one or two of the scapularies. The lesser wing coverts have marginal
ferruginous blotches, and the greater coverts and secondaries are narrowly tipped with
white. The primaries are crossed by from seven to nine liver-brown bars, the intermediate
spaces towards the tips being merely a lighter shade of the same colour, but towards the bases
of the inner webs being white or pale wood-brown. The white tail coverts form a narrow bar
across the base of the tail. The tail is crossed by five bars of liver-brown, the terminal one
being the broadest, the intermediate spaces, which equal the bars in breadth, are hair-brown on
the two middle feathers, and pale ferruginous on the others ; and all the feathers are narrowly
edged on their tips with white. The under surface of the neck is ferruginous, with tapering
longitudinal streaks of liver-brown ; the breast is paler, and the streaks are confined to the
shafts. The flanks are dark drange-brown, with paler edgings. The posterior part of the
belly and vent are very pale ferruginous, without spots ; and the under tail coverts and thighs
have a deeper ferruginous tint, also without spots. The under surface of the tail is very pale
buff, with liver-brown bars. The linings of the wings have a slight ferruginous tinge, with
dark-brown blotches. The inner surfaces of all the quill feathers are white, slightly tinged in
a few places with brown, crossed bynarrow clove-brown bars, and becoming entirely brown
at their tips.
F orm, & c.—The lobe of the upper mandible is not quite so distinct as in the older specimens
described above. The third quill feather equals the fourth; the second and fifth are
an inch shorter ; the sixth is two inches shorter than the fifth ; and the first is about a quarter
of an inch shorter than the sixth, and as much longer than the seventh. The tarsi correspond
with those of the older birds, even to the number of scutelli (fifteen before and nineteen
behind, besides a reticulated portion adjoining to the upper joint behind).
. In1ches1. L*ines . 3 4 . 1 6