SYPHEOTIS BENGALENSIS 



219 



Mr. J. Harrison, of the same district, which both weighed between 

 3J and 3| lbs. Most males, however, are less than 3 lbs. in weight, 

 young cocks of the year seldom exceeding 2^ lbs. Females, on the 

 contrary, run up to 5 lbs., a weight which has been recorded by 

 Mr. A. Primrose and others ; they often exceed 4 lbs., and even 

 females of the first year seldom weigh less than Si lbs. 



Young Male. — The young male is at first like the female, and 

 commences to assume the adult male plumage in the second year, 

 that is on its first spring moult, but probably often reverts, more or 

 less, to female plumage on its autumn moult, retaining, however, the 

 white wing-coverts of the adult male. 



The complete adult plumage of the male is assumed in the most 

 irregular manner, and at the first spring moult the young cock bird 

 may assume any portion of the adult plumage, retaining elsewhere 

 that of the female. Nearly always, however, the white wing-feathers 

 are amongst the earliest to show themselves. 



Some young birds first moult into the adult black plumage from 

 the breast downwards, having this part wholly glossy black, although, 

 with the exception of the wings, the rest of the body remains clothed 

 in a female garb. Other young males retain their first feathering on 

 the upper parts, but commence to assume the black feathers of the 

 throat as well as those of the lower parts in a lesser degree. One such 

 specimen I have examined has the whole of the upper parts in juvenile 

 plumage, with the exception of a few white feathers amongst the 

 wing-coverts ; below, from the chin to the breast, the black feathers 

 are growing profusely, though there are still a few feathers here and 

 there retaining their original vermiculated appearance ; from the lower 

 breast downwards the whole lower plumage is a soiled white, with 

 a good many black feathers showing all over as well as a few 

 vermiculated ones. 



This young bird is a most interesting one, as it would appear 

 that sometimes, whilst the upper breast, neck, head and upper parts 

 assume the adult plumage directly, though by varying degrees, the 

 plumage of the lower parts goes through a .transition stage. The 

 whole of the buff in the bird has been replaced with white, though 

 there are a few of the adult black feathers already showing. 



The question as to whether the Florican has a separate breeding- 



