Notes on Plumage Changes. 11 



without hesitation that it is not a general act for the birds to 

 go further south than this colony to summer, although a few 

 may do so. In addition, from data supplied to me of birds 

 being found in the coastal lines of Mornington in December, and 

 from a nest being found by myself near Box Hill late in the 

 Spring, I am of Mr. Gould's opinion that the species merely 

 becomes secluded during the spring and summer and reventures 

 into the close environment of towns with the income of the 

 autumn. 



As to the question of change in plumage, Stage H clearly 

 shows a moult and that the shedding of red feathers is simul- 

 taneous with the supplying of new and stronger " reds." As to 

 when the red is first obtained I find in certain cases it appears 

 in the nestling, while in others it nmy not appear for nearly 

 twelve months, when it bursts out in new feathers as a clear 

 light red.^ In the following year's moult a strong red is obtained. 

 There is also a red that make its appearance on the chest in the 

 young that seems to me to be light scarlet. There is nothing 

 to indicate that this red does not belong to the nestling, and 

 although it looks as if age had intensified it, there is no evidence 

 in support of it by the other specimens. It is in my opinion 

 a bird highly developed at the first. The " red " when once 

 obtained keeps the bird a " red one " always, and it becomes a 

 flame-breasted bird about the third year. As in the case of 

 Malurus cyaneu.s, Ellis, the month will vary with the date of 

 brood and the season. 



I believe no description of a fully adult male has yet been 

 rendered, for I see no account particularly of the flush of dull 

 red above the forehead, which, in Phase G-, is very distinct. 



I have handled sixteen male birds that have the appearance of 

 maturity. Of these, nine are uniform grey, agreeing with the 

 description of the adult by Messrs. Gould and Sliarpe. Five 

 have so faint a wash of dull red above their foreheads, that it 

 has either been previously overlooked or not taken into account 

 because of its subdued nature ; two are distinctly washed with 

 dull red across the fore part of the crown. With this latter 

 crown-colour there is an exceedingly intense red upon most of 



1 Dr. Shai-pe (Brit. Mus. Catal. Birds, vol. iv., 1879) remarks : " Ttie young' male is similar 

 to old female but with orari're instead of vermilion breast." 



