VOL. VII.] PLUMAGES OF THE EIDER. 73 



behind the ear-coverts is also completely developed or inter- 

 mixed with black-and-brown feathers of the first stage ; 

 the cheeks too are usually mixed dark brown and white ; 

 a line of black feathers is now fully developed along the 

 upper flanks ; upper and lower tail-coverts are renewed and 

 black ; scapulars are white with broad or narrow edges of 

 black. As previously stated the crown, mantle, rump, and 

 wings and nearly all the lower -parts remain in juvenile-plumage, 

 and the feathers of these parts are not shed until August. 

 The change of the tail also varies in individuals. The most 

 interesting feature of the plumage of the nine-months-old 

 male in April, is that when gaining the white chm and throat 

 it nearly always leaves a broad V-shaped line of the brown 

 feathers. This characteristic mark is often retained through- 

 out the summer, and forms an interesting parallel to the 

 V-shaped mark found in many of the adult males of 

 S. m. mollissima and its allied races. 



First Eclipse-plumage. — From April until the end 

 of June little or no change takes place except the usual 

 fading and wearing of the feathers, and then the first 

 eclipse -plumage begins to make its appearance and may 

 be said to be complete by the end of July. 



The feathers of the whole head and neck are shed and 

 replaced in a few days by a plumage resembling, but somewhat 

 darker than, that of the juvenile ; eye-stripe dull white with 

 blackish markings ; crown, upper-parts of cheeks, and back 

 of head and neck black ; rest of cheeks and throat grey-brown ; 

 mantle and scapulars blackish-brown. In a bird killed on 

 July 6th at Fitfulhead, Shetland, which has effected the 

 above change, the wings, tail, and nearly all the lower -parts 

 are still in juvenile-plumage, much worn and faded ; the 

 white-and-buff shield on the upper-chest and its sides is 

 replaced by a new set of feathers — white with brown- 

 black bars and edged with reddish-brown ; the long faded 

 scapulars are still unshed and sandy-yellow as well as the 

 primaries. 



Second Winter-plumage. — So the plumage remains 

 until the middle of August when the wings and tail are 

 generally renewed, though this is sometimes not accom- 

 plished until early September. Towards the end of 

 August the next change to second wdnter-plumage com- 

 mences and all the lower-parts and flanks are changed 



