THE RUSTIC-BUNTING. 129 



brown-black fringed greyish-\\hite inner, and pale brown outer 

 webs ; secondaries same but outer Avebs fringed darker brown, 

 inner secondaries margined chestnut A\'ith outer fringe of buif and 

 a tongue-like projection of black and chestnut about centre of 

 outer web ; inner greater coverts like inner secondaries but outer 

 ones tipped white and fringed buff ; median coverts with larger 

 white tips ; lesser coverts chestnut tipped buff. This plumage 

 is acquired by complete moult in August. Summer. — ^A moult 

 confined to head and throat takes place in April and May (sometimes 

 March), when small patch of black appears on chin ; whole throat 

 including malar region, stripe over and behind ej'e and nape-spot 

 become pure white ; lores, ear-coverts, fore-head, and croAvn jet- 

 black ; some feathers of upper-part of breast-band are renewed but 

 moult does not extend further ; abrasion of tips and fringes of 

 feathers causes rest of breast-band, back of neck, rump and Hanks to 

 become more uniform chestnut and mantle more strongly streaked 

 black. N.B. — Moult of head is not always quite complete, some old 

 brown-tipped feathers being frequently left on crown and ear- 

 coverts. 



Adult female. Winter. — ^Differs from male in having more 

 buff and brown and less black on crown and ear-coverts ; whitish- 

 buff nape-spot scarcely observable ; back of neck, mantle and 

 wings browner and less chestnut ; breast-band much less weU- 

 defined and broken and often with some dark bro\m streaks, less 

 chestnut on flanks. Summer. — Moult of head takes place in April 

 as in male but new feathers are much like old, but lores, ear-coverts 

 and croA\Ti have rather more black and head much resembles male 

 in winter. 



Nestling. — (Not examined.) 



Juvenile. — Crown brownish-black, feathers edged pale buff ; 

 nape and mantle with more rusty-buff edgings and with some 

 rufous in centres ; rump and upper tail-coverts rusty-chestnut 

 with dark centres ; lores and stripe behind eye pale buff ; ear- 

 coverts buffish-brown ; chin uniform buff ; throat more whitish 

 streaked blackish-brown ; breast and flanks more tawny and 

 more heavily streaked same ; centre of lower-breast whitish-buff 

 with blackish spots ; centre of belly and under tail-coverts uniform 

 whitish-buff ; tail- and wing-feathers as adult ; lesser wmg-coverts 

 dull chestnut tipped buff ; median coverts brown-black with 

 buffish-white tips centrally divided with brown ; greater coverts 

 same but tips more buff. 



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

 very difficult to distinguish, but males in winter appear to have 

 less black on crown and ear-coverts than adults. The juvenile 

 body-plumage and wing-coverts are moulted in August but not 

 primary-coverts, remiges and rectrices. 



Measurements and structure. — (^ wing 75-81 mm., tail 56-63, 

 tarsus 18-19, bill from skull 11-12 (12 measured). $ wing 72-76. 



K 



