VOL. x] MOULTS OF BUITISH PASSEKES. 281 



Indistinguishable from the adult female, but the male has 

 small distinctions from the adult male. The Red-breasted 

 Flycatcher differs from all the other species in that the adult 

 male and female differ from each other both in winter and 

 summer. The first winter male and female are, however, 

 alike and only differ from the adult female in having spots 

 at the tips of some of the secondaries and wing-coverts. 

 After the spring moult the male closely resembles the adult 

 male. 



Spotted Flycatcher {Mnscicapa s. striata). 



Adults. — The body-feathers are moulted from July to 

 September, but usually the wings, wing-coverts and tail are 

 not moulted before the birds migrate, although occasionally 

 some secondaries and wing-coverts and rarely the central 

 pair of tail-feathers are moulted. From November to March 

 when the bird is in winter-quarters a complete moult takes 

 place, the wing- and tail-feathers and wing-coverts being 

 then moulted as well as the body-feathers. The sexes are 

 alike, and the winter and summer plumages do not differ. 

 The pale edgings to the wing-feathers and wing-coverts 

 become much worn before the new feathers are acquired, and 

 as summer advances the upper-parts become greyer-brown. 



Juvenile. — The upper-parts have a very spotted appear- 

 ance owing to each feather having a pale buff centre with a 

 narrow dark brown margin ; the breast and flanks are also 

 rather spotted than streaked as in the adult, each feather 

 being buffish-white with a margin of dull brown ; the median 

 and inner greater wing-coverts have pale buff spots at the 

 tips of the feathers. Sexes alike. 



First Winter. — ^The juvenile body-feathers, lesser and 

 median wing-coverts and innermost secondaries are moulted 

 from July to September, but not the greater or primary 

 coverts, nor the tail nor rest of the wing-feathers. After the 

 moult the first winter bird can always be distinguished from 

 the adult by the broader pale edgings to the secondaries, and 

 by the spots at the tips of the inner greater coverts, while 

 sometimes a few juvenile body-feathers are also retained. 



First Summer. — A complete moult takes place as in the 

 adult, but rather later extending until April (exceptionally 

 May). The new plumage is indistinguishable from that of 

 the adult. 



Brown Flycatcher {Muscicapa latirostris). 



Adults. — The body-feathers are moulted in July and 

 August, but the wings, wing-coverts and tail are not moulted. 



