Notes on Plumage Changes. 23 



white of the abdomen ; lateral tail quills white, each feebly 

 marked on the tips with brown ; centre quills brown ; bill and 

 legs brown ; nails brown. Length of wing, 1*8 inches; tail, 0*95 

 inches ; tarsus, 0'57 inches ; culmen, 0*23 inches. 



Phase B. 



Young <?, sk., 1-1-97. Box Hill, Victoria. 



General appearance of plumage very much as in A. The first 

 indication of a moult of the original feathers shows on the back 

 where a patch of uniform dark brown feathers has appeared with 

 others following. In a few days, I take it, the moult of the 

 contour quills will be general. Tail : outer quill white, except 

 at tip which is faintly spotted with brown ; penultimate quill 

 white, with the inner web of the proximal half obliquely marked 

 with brown ; the third quill similar to the second, but with more 

 and deeper brown in about the same position ; centre quills dark 

 bi'own ; bill blackish-brown ; legs brown ; nails black. Length 

 of wing, 3 "3 inches; tail, 2*45 inches; tarsus, 0*6 inches; 

 culmen, 0"3 inches. 



Phase C. 



Imm. (?, sk., 26-8-93. Box Hill, Victoria. 



It presents quite a different appearance from the spotted 

 example B. The tails remain nearly alike. Upper surface 

 and forehead, brown ; sides of breast, greyish-brown, other 

 portions of under surface white, tinged with light brown in 

 parts, and delicately washed with it in other portions ; primaries 

 narrowly tipped, and secondaries edged, with pale brown ; under 

 wing coverts whiter than in B ; outer two rectrices white, third 

 deep brown on basal two thirds of inner web, fourth bears a large 

 white mark on terminal part of inner web ; middle quills, deep 

 brown ; bill, upper mandible black, lower brown ; legs, blackish- 

 brown. Length of wing, 3*4 inches ; tail, 2*45 inches; culmen, 

 0*35 inches; tarsus, 0'7 inches. 



Phase D. 



Adult <?, sk., 17-7-96. Box Hill, Victoria. 

 The whole upper surface is lighter brown than in C, and the 

 ventral brownish-white of C is here represented with a clear 



