THE SNOW-FINCH, 99 



neck ashy-grey, tinged buff ; chin and inconspicuous malar stripe 

 creamy-wiiite ; centre of tliroat black, somewhat concealed by 

 long white tips ; rest of imder-parts creamy-white ; under tail- 

 coverts tipped bro^\^^ish ; axillaries pure white ; tail-feathers, 

 central pair black, fringed buffish-white, next pair Mhite, tipped 

 black and with black shaft-streak at base, rest white, narrowly 

 tipped and with concealed bases black, except outermost which 

 has no black ; first six visible primaries black, very narrowly 

 fringed and tipped brownish-M'hite, 7th with some white on inner 

 web, 8th mostly white on inner web, 9th ^\•hite with base black ; 

 secondaries, greater and median coverts white, %A'ith black bases 

 except innermost which are blackish-bro\A-n, fringed and tipped 

 white and buff ; lesser coverts white, tipped blackish at point 

 of wing ; bastard-AA'ing lilack ; primary- coverts white, tipped 

 black. This plumage is acquired by complete moult in autumn. 

 Summer. — Some feathers of throat are renewed in March, other- 

 wise no moult. Abrasion of tips of feathers makes tlu-oat blacker, 

 under-parts AA'hiter, head pure l^luish-grey, mantle darker broAvn, 

 creamy-white fore-head and malar stripes more distinct. 



Adult female. — Like male but head browner, not so grey ; 

 sides of neck buffer ; black of throat less extensive and not so 

 intense, and when freshly moulted almost entirely concealed by 

 whitish tips ; rump, upper tail-coverts, and black feathers of 

 wings and tail bro\Mier than in male ; ^hite of primary-coverts 

 and pair of tail-feathers next to central much more restricted 

 tlian in male ; lesser coverts at point of wing tipped brown. 

 Nestling. — (Not examined.) 



Juvenile. — ^]\Iuch like adult female but crown and nape 

 browner ; mantle duller brown ; rump and upper tail-coverts 

 brounish ; throat ashy-grey, only bases of feathers blackish ; 

 9th (visible) primary and secondaries marked black mostly on 

 outer webs, and fringed pale buff on distal half of outer webs ; 

 innermost secondaries, greater, median, and lesser wing-coverts 

 as adult ; primary-coverts dark brown ; tail, central pair blackish- 

 brown, fringed buff, next pair same, with small white mark on 

 inner web, rest white, fringed buff, tipped and mesially marked 

 black, except outer pair which is almost pure white. 



First winter and summer. Male and female. — Like adults. 

 The juvenile-plumage is completely (including wings and tail) 

 moulted in autumn. 



Measurements and structure. — ^ wing 118-126 mm., tail 68-76. 

 tarsus 22-23, bill from skull 13-14 (12 measured). $ wing 115-120. 

 Primaries : 1st minute and hidden, 2nd and 3rd about equal and 

 longest, 4th 3-5 mm. shorter, 6th 14-17 shorter ; 3rd and 4th 

 emarginated outer webs. Secondaries between 8th and 10th 

 primaries, tips square and notched. Tail almost square. Bill 

 thick, tapering gradually to point. A few minute rictal bristles 

 and very short bristle-like feathers almost covering nostrils. 



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