WHITE-RUMPEU STONECHAT. 297 



quills, and tail-feathers are deep brown, broadly margined and 

 tipped with brownish-red. The tail-feathers are white at the 

 base, excepting the two middle. The bill is dark-brown above, 

 paler beneath ; the feet bluish-grey, the claws dusky. The 

 males differ from the females chiefly in having the rump white, 

 it being in the latter brownish-white. 



Progress toward Maturity. — At the first autumnal moult, 

 the young assume the colours described as characterizing the 

 old birds ; but the tints are more tinged with brown. 



Male in Winter Plumage. — In its perfect plumage the 

 male has the grey of the upper parts tinged with red, the edges 

 of all the feathers being of the latter colour ; the lower parts 

 light reddish -brown, deeper on the fore-neck and breast; the 

 white and black bands on the head as in summer, but the ear- 

 coverts slightly tipped with brown. In all other respects the 

 plumage is as described, the edgings of the wing and tail- 

 feathers being only broader. The bill and feet deep black. 



Female. — The female is of a uniform pale brown above, the 

 forehead tinged with red, the band over the eye reddish-white, 

 that under it brownish-red ; the lower surface light brownish- 

 red, deeper on the fore-neck and breast, and fading behind into 

 cream-colour. 



Remarks. — I have found individuals of both sexes in May 

 retaining the winter plumage in its perfect state, the feathers 

 entire, and the colouring as above described. Such birds are 

 probably individuals of late broods, which have moulted in 

 their southern retreats. Similarly perfect individuals of the 

 Willow Wren, and other species of this family, are met with. 



Mr Jenyns, perhaps copying Temminck, states that in the 

 male the two middle feathers of the tale are wholly black ; but 

 I apprehend that both gentlemen are wrong in this matter ; 

 at least, I have never met with an adult male that had not 

 more than a fourth of the basal portion of the two middle tail- 

 feathers pure white. The females, however, have only the 

 base of the shaft and a small portion of the downy part of 

 these feathers white. 



