104 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



Of the secondaries, the outermost is moulted first, and several 

 adjacent places may be empty at once. They are moulted later 

 than the primaries, but the two periods overlap considerably. 



The median pair of tail-feathers is the first to drop, but the 

 others follow quickly. The rate of succession appears to vary ; 

 as a rule it is rapid, and all twelve feathers may be incomplete at 

 once. The dropping of the tail-feathers is nearly contemporaneous 

 with that of the secondary quills. 



The above statements are based on half a dozen or more 

 examples in the case of the primaries, and on three or four for the 

 rest. Only one bird was examined completely for the body-feathers, 

 an adult, freshly-expired on 29th October 1907. In it, the new 

 secondaries had all appeared, the inner seven being still entirely 

 within the sheath, while the new rectrices were complete except for 

 the two outer pairs. 



Upper wing-coverts. The whole of the greater series, and 

 nearly all the rest except scattered ones still in the sheath, were 

 fully developed. 



Under wing-coverts. The row next the quills all in the sheath ; 

 the remainder fully developed (new). Both wings were at the 

 same stage. 



Scapulars. The long ones were complete, except one or two 

 still in the sheath. A number of new papilhe just appearing 

 (smaller feathers ?). 



Back, head, and i/nderparts. A few scattered feathers in the 

 sheath, the rest completely renewed. 



Upper tail-coverts. The new feathers all fully developed. 



Under tail-coverts. Three or four long median ones still in the 

 sheath, the rest complete. 



In another adult Herring Gull, in which the new rectrices were 

 all present but incomplete, the upper and under tail-coverts had not 

 been renewed, and the long median under-coverts projected i\ 

 inches beyond the undeveloped tail. 



II. Kittiwake. Two examples in moult were examined, one 

 completely, the other as to quills and tail. 



The first was an immature bird found on 7th July : 



Primaries. The six outer ones unmoulted, the tip of the seventh 

 just projecting from the sheath, the remaining three complete. 

 The two wings were identical in condition. 



Secondaries, and upper and under 7ving-coverfs.^or\e of these 

 had been renewed. Similarly on the head (both above and below), 

 back, and upper tail-coverts there were no new feathers ; but among 



