length, nine inches and a half to nearly ten; bill, very slender, and
dull greenish black at the base, the remainder dusky black; from it a
pale dusky greenish brown streak, white in winter, proceeds to and
over and under the eye, between which and the base of the bill there
is a dusky patch; iris, hazel, over it from the base of the upper mandible
extends a whitish streak. Head on the crown, neck on the back,
and nape, dusky greenish brown, slightly waved with a darker shade,
and speckled with small triangular white spots or streaks; chin, white;
throat, white, streaked downwards with dusky grey and pale greenish
arrow-headed lines; breast above, white, on the sides and upper part
streaked wdth greyish black and pale greenish; below, white; back,
dusky brownish green, undulated with darker shades, and studded
with small triangular-shaped yellowish white spots.
The wings have the first quill feather slightly the longest; the
second being all but as long; the others gradually shortening; greater
and lesser wing coverts, also dusky green, waved with darker colour;
primaries and secondaries, dusky black, the shafts darkest—the latter
are very long; tertiaries, also very long, dusky black, tinged with
green, and with numerous small light-coloured spots on the outside
margins; greater and lesser under wing coverts, deep greyish black,
with narrow crossbars of white of a V, or 'chevron,' shape. Tail,
wdu'te at the base, the outside feather on each side nearly immaculate,
but with one small dark spot or bar on the outer web near the end,
the next feather with two dark spots, the third and fourth with two
rather large broad dark bands, the fifth and sixth respectively with
three or four dark bands; upper tail coverts, white. Tegs, and toes,
greenish grey black; the middle and outer ones are united by a
short membrane. Claws, dusky.