VOL. IX.] lAlOULTS OF BRITISH PASSERES. 247 



Snow-Bunting {Plectrophenax nivalis). 



Adults.— Complete moult in August and September. 

 In March a partial moult confined to the chin, throat, ear- 

 coverts and sides of the head. The new feathers in both 

 sexes are much like the old but purer white, except those of 

 the ear-coverts which in the male are buff instead of tawny 

 as in winter and in the female less dark than in winter. 

 Abrasion causes a remarkable change in both sexes, but 

 especially in the male. The wide tawny fringes of the fresh 

 autumn feathers almost completely conceal the upper portions 

 of the feathers of the upper-parts besides forming a distinct 

 tawny breast-band. In much abraded males in summer the 

 tawny fringes become completely worn off and the bird's head, 

 nape, and under-parts become pure white and its mantle 

 and back almost uniform black, the rvnnp usually white 

 but sometimes black and white, the wings and tail also become 

 black and white. The female in winter is duller buff, not 

 so bright tawny on the upper-parts as the winter male, and 

 the feathers of the crown, nape and rump have black centres, 

 while the black portion of the feathers of the mantle is not 

 so extensive as in the male. In summer it becomes streaked 

 on the upper-parts, the feathers having large black centres 

 and greyish-white and tawny fringes, the under-parts usually 

 have remains of the tawny fringes especially on the Hanks 

 and sides of the breast. The amount of white in the tail- 

 and wing-feathers, primary-coverts and other wing-coverts 

 varies greatly individually in both sexes and at all ages. 

 Allowing for this indiviclual variation the distribution of 

 white in the wings is usually as follows : — 



Primaries — Adult male — white at base often extends beyond 

 primary-coverts, 9th usually with only distal quarter black, 10th with 

 only a black patch at tip of outer web. Females and first winter male 

 — no white beyond primary-coverts, less white on 9th and 10th. 



Secondaries — Adtdt male — pure white or with some small black 

 marks at tips of outer webs. First winter male and adidt female — more 

 extensive brownish-black marks on outer webs. First winter female — 

 most of outer webs and distal portions of inner webs brownish-black. 



Primary- COVERTS — Adult male — sometimes pvire white but usually 

 with black tips. First winter male — either all black or with the ba.ses 

 white freckled with dusky. Females — brownish -black. 



Greater coverts. — Adult male — white. First winter male — 

 brownish-black tipped white with sometimes the central feathers 

 dusky-white only flecked with black. Adult female — biownish-black 

 tipped white. First ivinter female- — with smaller white tips. 



Median and Lesser coverts. — Adult male- — white. First winter 

 male — median white, lesser black with bufifish-white tips or white 

 flecked with black. Females — median and lesser brown-blacK tipped 

 with white. 



