220 GAME-BIRDS OP INDIA 



plumage, and changes back again during the autumn moult into a 

 non-breeding or post-nuptial plumage may, I think, be now decided 

 to the contrary. 



Blyth is responsible for the generally accepted theory that the 

 cock bird changed into a semi- female plumage in autumn, which it 

 regained in the succeeding spring, and doubtless he had then a good 

 deal of information before him on which to ground his arguments. 

 Blyth writes : — 



" Mr. Hodgson is also certainly mistaken in his assertion that 

 the nuptial dress is worn permanently, as we have witnessed the 

 change before described, and the subsequent partial renewal of the 

 breeding-livery, which latter was not well developed in captivity, and 

 have likewise observed the fact in the skins of wild birds." 



Hodgson, on the other hand, says : — 



" The moults are two annually, one from March to May and the 

 other autumnal, which is less complete and more speedily got over, 

 between August and October. The young males, up to the beginning 

 of March, entirely resemble the females, but the moult then com- 

 mencing gradually assimilates them to the adults, which never lose, 

 as the lesser species or Likh does, after the courting season, the 

 striking black and white garb that in both species is proper to the 

 male sex, and permanently so to the larger species after the first year 

 of age. There is, properly speaking, no nuptial dress in this species, 

 though the hackles and crest in their most entire fulness of dimensions 

 may be in part regarded as such." 



Now this statement of Hodgson's seems to be entirely correct, 

 except as regards one important particular. He considers, as we 

 have seen, that the Florican assumes adult plumage in two moults, 

 or even in one, and that after the first year the young bird retains 

 permanently its adult colouration ; I would change first year to second 

 year. 



We know now that just as many fully-plumaged adult males are 

 seen during the cold weather, say from November to the end of 

 February, as at any other time of the year. I have seen magnificent 

 specimens of cocks moulting in April from adult plumage to adult 

 plumage. But, on the other hand, I have several times seennon-adult 

 cock birds, which were in an intermediate stage, remoulting in autumn 



