Plumage very soft, blended, rather dense, on the fore part of the head very short. Wings long, narrow, pointed; primaries rather broad, tapering to an obtuse point, the first longest, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries broad, obliquely terminated, with the inner web projecting beyond the outer; the inner much elongated, one of them reaching to half an inch of the tip of the wing when it is closed. Tail moderate, nearly even, the middle feathers a little longer, of twelve rounded feathers. Bill dark olive. Iris reddish-hazel. Feet light yellowish-olive, claws black. Upper parts brownish-black, variegated with light brownish-red, the feathers being margined and the scapulars obliquely barred with that colour. Hind part of back, upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers, light reddish-buff, obliquely barred with black, the bars on the tail seven or eight, and its tip white. Wing-coverts and secondaries greyish-brown, margined with greyish-white; the secondary coverts tipped with white, the quills tipped and obliquely banded with the same; alula, primary coverts and quills brownish-black, the shaft of the first quill white. From the base of the bill to the eye, and surrounding it, a dull reddish-white band; loral space dusky;. All the lower parts dull orange-red, with streaks and spots of black, more numerous along the sides, and on the tail-coverts. Length to end of tail 10-1/4 inches, to end of wings 10, to end of claws 11-1/2; extent of wings 18-1/8; wing from flexure 6-1/8; tail 2-1/2; bill along the ridge 2-(1-1/2)/8; along the edge of lower mandible (2-1/2)/8; bare part of tibia 1/2; tarsus 1-(2-1/2)/8; middle toe and claw 1-(1-1/2)/8; hind toe and claw (3-1/2)/8. inner toe and claw 1; outer toe and claw (7-1/2)/8. Weight 3-1/4 oz. Adult in Winter. Plate CCCXXXV. Fig. 2. The bill, iris, and feet as in summer. Upper part of head and hind neck dusky grey, with which the feathers of the fore part of the back, scapulars and wing-coverts are margined, their central parts being brownish-black. A white band from the bill over the eye; margins of eyelids also white. Hind part of back and tail barred with dusky as in summer. Quills as in summer, the inner marked with grey in place of brownish-red. Loral space, cheeks, and sides of the neck, pale grey; throat and lower parts white; the sides, axillary feathers, and lower tail-feathers, barred with dusky; lower wing-coverts dusky, edged with white, and having a central streak of the same. Individuals exhibit great differences in the length of the bills and tarsi.