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For the purpose of keeping specimens of the feathers I got 

 some small cardboard pill boxes, each of which I have marked 

 " O. B." (Orange Bishop), with a number on each to correspond 

 with the number and date of notes taken. * 



August 8th. — Took new orange-coloured feathers, which were about half 

 developed, from upper part of breast. 



Three new orange feathers — half-developed — from flank. 

 Four new orange feathers— just broken out of the "pen " (or " fin ") 

 form — from side of tail. 

 August 12th. — Examined Orange Bishop, and found a bunch of small black 

 feathers near each nostril, most of which were fully developed, and 

 three or four in the " pen " state of development. 



Also found a number of small new black feathers just coming next to 

 the eye cere (the old feathers being yellowish). With a lens the small 

 feathers could plainly be seen in their different stages of growth. 



The black feathers of the abdomen were also showing, some of 

 which were about half-developed. 



On the throat many " pen " feathers were through ; and on the 

 back I found several half-developed orange-brown feathers. 



The under tail coverts were growing fast, and I took out three of 

 them — one just out of the " peu " stage, one half developed, and 

 another nearly full}- developed. 

 August 17th. — This day I found some new black feathers showing through 

 on the front part of the head, but were not long enough to take out. 

 Took new half-developed orange-brown feather from the back or 

 saddle. 



Took one new black feather — nearly fully developed, — and two only 

 about half-developed from side. 



Took two new feathers (orange) from upper tail coverts — nearly 

 half-developed. 

 August 20th. — Found a good number of new orange-brown feathers of the 

 back now all but fully developed, and others only about half so. 



Also found new black feathers had come through over the crown. 



And whilst turning back the feathers with the tweezers four of the 



old (winter plumage) feathers came out with the bulbs of the neiv 



feathers attached. Also one old feather with bulb attached from side 



of lower breast. 



I have noticed this before in Weavers, especially in a 



Grenadier Weaver which I had in 1906. This bird I once caught 



up from the aviary to see how far it had advanced in colour, and 



on the bird trying to escape by turning his head through my 



I have examined the feathers in the respective boxes and find them to agree with 

 the descriptions given.— Ed. 



