ii6 



Southern Cross. 



In another, a female, procured on the 22nd of January, the 

 thighs are entirely white, and the grey down is being shed, so that 

 on the lower back the blue plumage is already visible. On the 

 breast, however, the grey down is changing to an isabelline colour, 

 which forms the downy top to the true feathers, these being deve- 

 loped from ohliqiie transverse roivs. 



Two white- throated birds were obtained, one on the 22nd of 

 January, 1899, and another on the 18th of January, 1900, They 

 are in pale and bleached plumage, and have, as Mr. Ogilvie Grant 

 has pointed out, no black patch at the end of the flipper. This 



ADELIA PENGUIN FEEDING ITS YOUNG. 

 {By permission of Sir George Newnes, Barf) 



character, however, varies in extent in adult birds, and is not of any 

 great importance. It thus appears that some of the young birds of 

 the previous year come back in the next breeding season without 

 having moulted into the adult livery. 



The nestlings were obtained in the middle of December, and by 

 the end of January were nearly of full size, though still clothed in 

 down. The old birds, or at least some of them, must commence to 

 moult early in January, and one bird killed on the 7th of February 

 has almost completed its change. Another female, obtained on the 

 5th of February, is in excellent feather, with the exception of the 

 tail, which is still undeveloped. 



