64 Changes of Plumage in the Red Grouse. 
and vermiculations of black and chestnut, the latter colour 
usually predominating. As is usual in this group of birds 
with incomplete moults, the autumn plumage is rarely com- 
pletely donned, a greater or lesser number of worn summer 
feathers being retained. No change whatever is made in the 
plumage of the male, when once his winter garb is complete in 
October, till after the breeding-season ; and towards the end 
of June or beginning of July he commences gradually 
moulting into his autumn plumage, which is complete by the 
middle of August. In summer the white spots on the under- 
parts, if present, are much less prominent, but this is ac- 
counted for by the wearing-off of the ends of the feathers. 
Adult male (autumn plumage). The upper parts are black, 
marked and spotted with rufous-buff or buff, and edged all 
round with paler buff; the markings are usually more or 
less concentric on the mantle and back, and the chest is more 
or less strongly barred and marked with black and buff. 
In September the first feathers of the winter plumage 
begin to appear on the back, and the barred chest-feathers 
are mostly replaced by dark chestnut feathers narrowly barred 
with black. 
Adult female (autumn and winter plumages). Upper parts 
black, with narrow irregular bars of rufous, and a buff spot 
at the tip of most of the feathers; chest feathers narrowly 
and often irregularly barred with rufous and black, and 
usually more or less tipped with buff. This plumage is re- 
tained throughout the autumn and winter ; in early spring 
the feathers of the summer plumage begin to moult, and 
by the end of April or beginning of May the summer plumage 
is complete. Many of the rufous and black autumn-winter 
feathers, especially those of the chest, sides, and flanks, are 
not renewed, but change their pattern without a moult. 
Down the middle of these there first appears a buff shaft- 
stripe ; gradually this stripe resolves itself into several 
spots, which spread laterally towards the margins of the 
feather; meanwhile the interspaces become black, and thus 
a black and buff barred feather is produced very similar to 
those which are newly moulted, but not so bright and fresh- 
looking. 
Adult female (summer plumage). Upper parts black, 
coarsely mottled and margined with buff or rufous buff; 
most of the markings are more or less concentric, and the 
buff margins to the feathers of the back and scapulars give 
the bird a more or less scaled appearance; most of the 
feathers of the neck, chest, sides, and flanks are buff, coarsely 
and irregularly barred with black. In July the autumn 
