VOL. X.J MOULTS OF BRITISH PASSERES. 15 



sides of the throat darker than in the adult ; the streaks on 

 the breast are rather darker and narrower. 



First winter. — The juvenile body-plumage, lesser wing- 

 coverts and usually the median and some greater wing-coverts 

 and some innermost secondaries are moulted in August 

 and September, but not the tail- or wing-coverts. The 

 new plumage is like that of the adults and the spring- 

 moult and summer plumage are apparently the same as 

 in the adults. 



Motacilla flava. 



The six subspecies of this species on the British List all 

 have the same moults 



Adults. — Complete moult in August or September. 

 There is a moult from January to April which involves the 

 body-plumage, most of the lesser and median wing-coverts, 

 many inner greater wing-coverts and usually the innermost 

 secondaries and central tail-feathers, but not the primary- 

 coverts nor the rest of the wing and tail-feathers, though 

 exceptionally the whole tail moults. There is considerable 

 variation in individuals in the extent of the moult, but it 

 seems to be the rule that in 31. f. ray I the central tail-feathers 

 are not so frequently moulted as in the other forms of 

 M. flava. As Dr. N. F. Ticehurst described in our first 

 volume the differences in the various forms, I need not here 

 discuss them. 



Juveniles. — The juveniles of M. f. flava, thu7ibergi and 

 rayi are alike, and I have not been able to examine juveniles 

 of the other subspecies. The upper-parts are earth-brown, 

 with blackish markings forming dark lines on the sides of 

 the crown ; the chin, centre of throat and lower breast are 

 pale buff, the sides of the throat from the bases of the lower 

 mandible to the breast and a band across the breast are brown- 

 black, while the rest of the mider-parts are pale yellowish-buff. 



First winter. — The juvenile body-feathers and most of 

 the wing-coverts are moulted from «July to September, but 

 not the primary-coverts nor the wing- or tail-feathers. The 

 various forms when in this plumage are usually indistinguish- 

 able except for the first winter male of M. f. feldegg, which 

 always has some black or blackish feathers on the fore-head. 



First summer. — Moult as in adult. The new plumage of 

 the male is like that of the adult male, but the female differs 

 from the adult female in being browner on the upper-parts 

 and whitish-buff instead of yellow on the throat and upper- 

 breast. 



