THE MASKED SHRIKE. 273 



black ; tail black and white : two central pairs all black, third 

 pair with small white tip, fourth jiair with var^nng amount of white 

 on distal half, two outer pairs white with black shafts and black 

 edging at base of inner webs ; primaries with about basal half white 

 and distal black ; secondaries black, with tips and edgings to 

 outer webs white ; primary-coverts black ; rest of wing-coverts 

 black edged and tipped white, lesser coverts showing verj^ little 

 black. This plumage is acquired by complete moult Aug. -Nov., 

 and occasionally Dec. Summer. — A moult confined to body- 

 plumage takes place Jan. -March, new plumage being like that of 

 winter. Edgings and tips gradually wear off inner secondaries, 

 wing-coverts and upper tail-coverts, making these parts more 

 uniform black. 



Adult female. Winter. — Like adult male but fore-head, 

 scapulars and edgings and tips of inner secondaries and wing- 

 coverts cream-coloured not white ; rest of upper-parts dark 

 greyish -bro^\^l, the feathers with very narrow rusty-buff tips, 

 crown and nape often blackish ; under-parts usually white less 

 richly marked with rusty-chestnut than male ; wing- and tail- 

 feathers browner black, not so jet-black. Moult as male. Summer. 

 — Moult as male and plumage as winter female. 



Nestling. — (Not examined . ) 



Juvenile. Male and female. — Fore-head, crown and mantle 

 pale browai, each feather with blackish -brown crescentic band ; 

 scapulars Avhitish with black-brown crescentic bands ; rump and 

 upper tail-coverts darker brown and bands less conspicuous ; 

 small stripe over and behind eye white ; ear-coverts greyish-brown ; 

 whole under-parts white, closely barred Avith dark broAvn crescentic 

 bands ; chin and centre of belly with few bands ; tail- and wing- 

 feathers as adult but browner, not so black ; inner secondaries 

 and greater wing-coverts dark brown mottled pale brown and 

 with pale buff edgings ; primary-coverts brown-black tipped 

 greyish ; median and lesser coverts as mantle. Males can be 

 distinguished (by comparison) from females by their less brown 

 and more blackish tail- and wing-feathers and primary-coverts. 



First winter. Male. — Somewhat like adult female iDut feathers 

 of fore-head with black crescentic bands and all feathers of rest of 

 upper-parts with longer rusty tips especially on crown and nape 

 on which little black shows. The juvenile body-plumage, inner 

 secondaries, greater, median and lesser wing-coverts are moulted 

 June-Oct., but not primaries, primary-coverts, rest of secondaries 

 or tail, and frequently two or three outer greater coverts and 

 a few^ body-feathers are retained. Female. — Fore-head speckled 

 brown ; rest of upper-parts iiot so dark as adult female and with 

 longer rusty tips to the feathers ; wing and tail-feathers browner. 

 Moult as male. First summer. Male. — The fii\st Avinter body- 

 plumage is moulted Jan. -April and excei)t for browaiish wings and 

 tail and primary-coverts it becomes indistinguishable from adult 



T 



