long tail-feathers twenty-two to twenty-four inches; from
the carpal joint of the wing to end of the longest primary
nine inches; the first and second quill-feathers nearly equal
and the longest in the wing.
The winter plumage is generally perfected by the middle
of October : the summer plumage is assumed by the end of
May, and at that time only the space around the eye is pale
huff, mixed with a little white ; all the other parts of the
head, neck, back, wings, and breast black ; the scapulars
and tertials black, each feather with a broad edge of rufous-
brown ; belly, and under surface of the body white, as in
winter; bill, irides, and legs the same.
A male killed while intermediate, or in change with
reference to the two states of plumage described, had the
forehead black; top of the head and the occiput white;
cheeks brownish-buff; all the neck mottled with black and
white ; scapulars and inner secondaries white at the base,
black in the centre, and reddish-brown on the margin;
secondaries distinguished from the coverts and primaries by
their lighter reddish-brown colour.
Females have the forehead, crown, and back of the neck,
dark brown ; the lore, or space between the base of the bill
and the eye, the ear-coverts, and sides of the neck greyish-
white ; below the ear-coverts, on both sides, a patch of
brown; all the back and wings dark brown ; primaries and
tail-feathers almost black; neck, in front, light brown,
clouded with darker brown; breast, belly, and under tail-
coverts white ; thighs and flanks pale ash-brown. Females
measure about sixteen inches in length, and do not assume
the white scapulars or the elongated tail-feathers.
Young birds for the first twelve months resemble the
females. Young males in their first winter may be distinguished
from young females by being a little larger in size,
and in having the brown and the white parts about the head
and neck rather more pure in colour, and their limits better
defined.
The Author was indebted to the late Mr. Richard Dann
for the use of a beautiful series of examples of this species,
from which the various descriptions here given were
derived.
The Author saw in 1845, in the collection of the late Mr.
Hadgraft, a perfectly white example of this species, brought
from North America.
A nestling in the collection of Mr. Bidwell, obtained by
Mr. Harvie-Brown on the Petchora, is of a very dark brown
above, with a small light patch at the base of the bill on
each side, and another round each eye ; under parts greyish-
white, with a small brownish collar ; bill very broad and
short.
The trachea of the male is about seven inches in length,
and very singular in its structure. At the bottom of the
tube five window-like apertures, as well as the kidneyshaped
tympanum, are closed by a delicate membrane. The
vignette, exhibits this curious structure in two points of
view. The windpipe of the female is of the common or
ordinary form.