hatched in sixteen or seventeen days. The female sits on the young,
if the weather be cold, both night and day. Two and sometimes three
broods are produced in the year. The young soon learn to shift for
themselves.
Male; weight, rather more than six ounces; length, a trifle over one
fool; bill, dark greyish black, the tip of the upper one yellowish
brown: it is much compressed about the middle, and the end is hard
in substance; inside, it is reddish. Iris, bright orange yellowish red,
the bare space around it light red—darker than in the female; head
on the sides, yellowish, fading oil* into the pink of the neck and
breast; on the crown, and neck on the back, light greyish blue; on
the sides the latter has a rounded patch of black, each of the feathers
tipped with white, surrounded with a tinge of blue; in front it is a
delicate light purple red colour, fading off backwards into grey; nape,
greyish blue, inclining to pinkish brown; chin, pale brown; throat
and breast above, delicate light purple red, bluish grey on the sides,
below, white; back, greyish brown above, on the lower part brownish
in colour: the centre of each feather darker than the rest.
The wings, one foot nine or ten inches in expanse, long and acute,
have the second quill the longest, the first nearly as long, the third
a little shorter than the first, the others rapidly diminishing in length;
greater wing coverts, mostly grey, the others greyish brown, with narrow
whitish edge--; lesser wing coverts, edged with grey, with broad light
orange or buff reddish margins, and a central pointed black spot, the
outer one bluish gre\ ; primaries, greyish brown or black. The inner
secondaries, edged with bluish grey, with broad light reddish margins,
and a central pointed dark spot; the outer ones greyish brown, with
narrow whitish edges; greater and lesser under wing coverts, bluish
grey. The tail, long and much rounded, of twelve feathers, greyish
brown, the feathers towards the side- blackish brown, the two centre
ones brown; all the others tipped with white, widest on the side feathers,
the outer web of the side one white; underneath it is blackish brown,
tipped with white; under tail coverts, white. Legs and toes, carmine
red—the latter underneath dull yellowish; claws, blackish brown.
The female resembles the male, hut is less in size, and a good deal
lighter coloured. The head is of a deeper brown. The wing coverts
l e s s bright on the margins.
The young, at first covered with yellow down, have, their first year,
the bill dark brown; iris, dusky, till they are about half a year old;
then it becomes by degrees yellow and orange: the red round the eye
appears the second year; they assume also the black on the side of
the neck the second year. Breast on the sides, bluish grey; back,
darker brown than the neck in front; greater and lesser wing coverts,
tipped with buff white; primaries, slightly tinged on their outer edges
with rufous. Tail, brown, the lateral feathers with their outer webs,
and the next two with their ends white; underneath, it is blackish
brown; under tad coverts, whitish. Legs, toes, and claws, brown.
VOL. 111.