38 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



moult in autumn. Summer. — ^No moult. Abrasion causes con- 

 siderable alteration. Brown tips gradually Avear off pink feathers 

 and by May-June upper- and under -parts are pure rosy-pink, 

 tips wear off feathers of head, median Aving-coverts, and upper 

 tail-coverts, and become much reduced on under tail-coverts and 

 lesser wing-coverts. 



Adult feTrmle. Winter. — ^Like male but crest shorter, pink 

 duller more obscured by bro\\n, gloss on head duller and much 

 more obscured by buff tips ; wing-feathers and coverts and tail 

 much less glossy and narrowly edged pale buff. Summer. — 

 Abrasion has same effect as in male, but pink generally not so 

 pure ; head, wings, and tail much duller, browner, and less 

 glossed. 



Nestling. — (Not examined.) 



Juvenile. — ^Upper-parts uniform brown ; chin, centre of throat, 

 lower-breast, and belly brownish-white ; lower-throat, sides of 

 throat, and upper-breast spotted and streaked brown (occasionally 

 dark broM n) ; flanks pale brown ; under tail-coverts and axillaries 

 brown with brownish-white edges and tips ; tail, wing-feathers, 

 and AAing-coverts dark brown with brownish-white edges and 

 tips. Feathers of nape very slightly elongated. 



First unnter. Male. — Closely resembling adult female ; pink 

 very much obscured ; buff edgings to wings and tail conspicuous, 

 and gloss much duller than adult male. The juvenile plumage 

 is completely (including wings and tail) moulted in autumn. 

 Summer. — Does not become so pure a pink on upper-parts as 

 adult, and traces of edgings can generally be found on secondaries 

 and greater coverts. Female. — Still browner and duUer than adult 

 female, often with scarcely an}^ pink on feathers of upper-parts ; 

 crest very short ; axillaries pale brown, fringed whitish ; under- 

 parts much washed brown. 



Measurements and structure. — ^ wing 125-133 mm., tail 62-68, 

 tarsus 29-32, bill from nostrils 14-16, width at nostrils 6-7 (12 

 measured). $ wing 124-133. Primaries : 1st small and narrow 

 about two-thirds primary-coverts, 2nd and 3rd about equal and 

 longest, 4th 3-7 mm. shorter, 5th 10-16 shorter ; 3rd and 4th 

 slightly emarginated outer webs. Secondaries about equal 10th 

 primary, tips square and slightly notched. Tail almost square. 



Soft farts. — Bill pink with basal half of lower mandible 

 black ; legs and feet pink ; iris brown. 



Characters and allied species. — ^No subspecies. Pink colouring 

 and crest are distinctive. 



Field-characters. — ^Resembles Starling in flight and habits, 

 but, except at distance, contrast of colour is good distinguishing 

 cliaracter. Gregarious, and single birds will associate with 

 Starlings. Note, harsh chatter, less musical than Starling's, but 

 somewhat similar (F.C.R.J.). 



