part between the two bands is bluish grey, the lower part below the
second one, dusky greyish black, darker, becoming deep reddish brown,
towards the under tail coverts; the sides are rufous chesnut, and near
the tail are a few large strong feathers with white tips, which make a
small but distinct spot. The back on the upper part is purple grey,
on the middle brownish black, with a bloom of deep blue or purple
grey, on the lower part dusky black.
The wings have the first quill feather the longest; greater wing
coverts, bluish black, tipped with white; of the lesser wing coverts
some are white, with a narrow greyish border to the feathers; primaries,
dull brownish black; secondaries, also black, the outer webs forming
the speculum arc brownish black, glossed with deep blue; tertiarics,
white on the outer webs, bordered with blackish brown. Tail, dusky
black; under tail coverts, bluish black; legs and toes, dull bluish dusky
black; webs, dusky.
The moult takes place, Audubon says, in July and August.
I n the female the general plumage is sooty brown. Length, one foot
two or three inches; before and behind the eye are patches of white;
forehead, whitish; neck in front mottled with two shades of brown.
Chin and throat, greyish white. Breast above, mottled with two shades
of brown, below whitish, the sides also of two shades of yellowish
brown and brownish grey, the flanks brown. Back, reddish brown, the
margins of the feathers paler.
The young male in the first year resembles the female. The white
collar is not gained till after the second moult.
According to Audubon, the young male in its first winter has the
white spot over the eye mottled with grey, the line over the eye
obscure, and the edging of the occiput faint reddish brown; bill, dusky.
Head and neck, dull leaden blue, the crown darker; the two white
marks exist on the neck, but are merely edged with darker blue; there
are some indications of the white collar, and the band before the wing
is marked, but much smaller than in the adult bird. The sides of the
breast are dark brownish grey, waved with yellowish red bars; the fore
part is dull grey, the middle yellowish grey, spotted with bluish grey.
The back greyish brown; primaries, dark brown; secondaries, not
tipped with white. Tail, bluish grey, the end lighter coloured. In
the third year the white collar is still incomplete, but all the white
markings of the neck are edged with black. The tail is becoming
glossy bluish black; upper tail coverts, dusky—they turn to glossy
bluish black in that year. Legs and toes, lead-colour.