228 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



and bellj^ not so intense and less extensive ; edgings of secondaries 

 and greater coverts tinged greenish, not so pure blue-grey ; blue- 

 grey of primarj^-co verts and tail duller. 



Nestling. — Do\^'n smoke-grej', fairly long ; distribution, inner 

 supra-orbital and occipital (fairly plentiful), humeral and spinal 

 (scanty). Mouth, inside orange, no spots ; externally flanges 

 pale lemon-yellow. 



Juvenile. Male. — Fore-head, lores, crown and nape sooty- 

 black ; nuchal spot very pale yellow ; mantle and scapulars much 

 duller and browner than adult ; rump and uj^per tail-coverts sooty- 

 grey ; cheeks, ear-coverts and sides of neck yellowish -white ; 

 chin and throat greyish-soot and narrow line of same down centre 

 of breast and belly ; rest of breast and bell}' and flanks rather 

 duller yellow than adult ; vent and under tail-coverts white, 

 tinged yellow ; tail as adult but blue-grey of outer webs much duller 

 and imier webs of central pair with little blue-grey ; primaries 

 much as adult but v.ith duller blue-grey fringes ; secondaries with 

 fringes greenish, innermost secondaries browner, not so black as 

 in adult ; primarj^-coverts brown fringed dull bluish-grey ; greater 

 coverts smoke-grey, tipped whitish-yellow ; median and lesser 

 coverts browner with faint tinge of greenish. Feynale. — Like male 

 but fringes of tail- and Aving-feathers still duller and primaiy- 

 and greater coverts browner. 



First winter. Male. — Like adult but fringes of wing- and tail- 

 feathers and primary-coverts differing as in juvenile, except the 

 newly-moultecl feathers which are like adult. The juvenile body- 

 feathers, gi'eater, median and lesser wing-coverts, two (occasionally 

 three) imiermost secondaries, central pair of tail-feathers (occa- 

 sionally w^hole tail) are moulted in Aug. -Sept. but not rest of wing- 

 feathers. Female. — Like adult female but primary-coverts much 

 browner with gi-eyish not blue-gi'ey fringes, fringes of primaries 

 greenish and of secondaries green, outer webs of tail-feathers duller 

 except when moulted. 



Measurements and structure. — ^ wing 73-78 mm., tail 58-64, 

 tarsus 20-22, bill from skull 11-12.5, width at nostrils 5-6 (12 

 measured). $ wing 70-77, bill from skull 11-12, width at nostrils 

 4.5-5. Primaries : 1st 9-12 mm. longer than primary-coverts, 2nd 

 between 8th and 10th, 4th to 6th longest, 3rd and 7th 2-4 shorter ; 

 3rd to 7th emarginated outer webs . Secondaries equal lOtli primary, 

 tips rounded. Tail almost square. Bill stout and strong. Good 

 many rictal and nasal bristles, short bristle-like feathers covering 

 nostrils. Tarsal joint feathered. 



Soft parts. — Bill black, with horn-colour tip and cutting edges ; 

 legs and feet lead-blue ; iris brown-black. 



Characters and allied forms. — For allied forms see p. 226. 

 Large size and black central line on under-x^arts are distinctive 

 specific characters. 



