662 Mr. C. B. Ticeluirst on the 



43. Hyphantornis cncuUatus. 



Oriolus cucuUatus P. L. S. Milller, Syst. Nat. Suppl. 

 1776, p. 87: Senegal. 



a, b. S afl. et ? imm. Ninong, Manenguha Mts. 28. v. 09. 



The immature female shows no trace of yellow eyebrow- 

 stripes ; the upperparts are unusually grey, the plumage of 

 the back being worn and faded, but the new feathers which 

 are moulting in on the neck are brownish-olive, dark brown 

 along the shaft. Wing 80 mm. 



The male is in full breeding-plumage ; the wing measures 

 86 mm. 



XXXIIT. — On the Plumages of the Male Crossbill (Loxia 

 curvirostra). By Claude B. Ticehurst, M.A., M.R.C.S., 

 M.B.O.U. 



As T have had occasion recently to study the plumages of 

 the Crossbill, I thought that perhaps the results of my 

 endeavours might be of use if put on record. As is well 

 known, the males o^ Loxia curvirostra exhibit a great variation 

 in plumage, and it has always been a puzzle to me to know 

 what this variation might mean. On looking up various 

 authors who have gone into the subject, one does not 

 find any great unanimity of opinion, and this I fancy was 

 largely due to their not having any reliable guide to the 

 age of their specimens. For example, to cite a few authors : 

 Macgillivray (British Birds, vol. i. p. 428) quotes Temminck 

 as saying that the males after the first moult become " dull 

 red, yellowish red, greenish yellow or dull yellow shaded with 

 reddish." Commenting on this, he goes on to say that he was 

 unable to directly trace the changes, but judging from analogy 

 they are not of this miscellaneous character, but are regular, 

 and remarks that he is confident that ihe greenish yellow is 

 the first winter plumage, followed at the next moult by a red 

 and then by a brighter red plumage. Such a succession 



