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STURNIDjE. 



tipped with white or pale buff, in the form of arrow-heads, 

 the triangular spots on the upper parts being larger. These 

 are carried through the winter, but gradually diminish in 

 size as spring comes on, so that those on the top of the head, 

 and lowei- parts generally, disappear almost entirely before the 

 following summer. In autumn and winter also the bill is 

 dusky horn-colour, which brightens into yellow on the approach 

 of spring. Whether any other change takes place as the 

 bird grows older may well be doubted. 



The female is very similar to the male, but her plumage 

 is rather less brilliant, and the terminal spots are generally 

 larger and, especially in spring and summer, more numerous 

 — not being worn off to the same extent : the bill also does 

 not assume the same bright yellow. 



The young of the year, before the first moult, is of an 

 uniform greyish-brown above ; the wing- and tail-quills 

 edged with light rufous-brown ; the throat dull white, and 

 the breast and belly clouded with white : the bill dusky 

 horn-colour, with the gape yellow : legs and toes much as 

 in the adult but more dusky. In this stage it is the 

 " Solitary Thrush" of Montagu*, Bewick and Knapp. As 

 the nestling plumage is lost that of the adult appears in 

 patches, presenting a curious mixture. 



* Montagu's specimen is in tlie British Museiini, and leaves no doubt on tlie 

 matter. The real " Solitary Thrush ", Monticola cyanus, is a very different bird 

 (see vol. i. page 295). 



