490 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



on both webs and small buff marks at tips ; primary-coverts fringed 

 rufous-brown and tipped black-brown ; greater coverts as second- 

 aries but with buff marks at tips more distinct ; median coverts 

 same but with very indistinct pale marks at tips ; lesser coverts 

 rufous-broAioi. This plumage is acquired by complete moult in 

 Aug. -Oct. Stimmer. — No moult. Abrasion causes upper-parts to 

 become rather more striated, and brown tijis wear off breast- 

 feathers . 



Adult female. — Like male but brea^.t decideelly broAvner not so 

 grey the bufiish-broAvn tips of the feathers being wider and more 

 distinct. 



Nestling. — Down black, fairly long. Distribution, inner supra- 

 orbital, occipital, humeral, spinal, ulnar and femoral. Mouth inside 

 bright orange, tAvo lateral black sjDots on tongue-spurs ; externally 

 flanges Av^hitish-pink. 



Juvenile. — SomeAA'hat resembling adult but crown browner ; 

 feathers of nape and sides of neck fringed bufifish and those of rest 

 of upper -parts more yelloAA'-broAAii not so rufous ; chin and throat 

 greyish-Avhite speckled dark grey ; breast, flanks and under tail- 

 coveits yelloAA'ish-buff to buff-brown, prominently streaked broAvn- 

 black ; centre of belly dull greyish-white ; tail- and wing-feathers 

 as adult, but buff marks at tij^s of median co Averts more distinct. 



First ivinter and summer. — Like adults. The juvenile body- 

 feathers, lesser and meelian Aving-coverts, two or three inner greater 

 coverts, one or tAvo innermost secondaries, sometimes, but ajiimr- 

 ently not alAA-aj^s, the tail-feathers are moulted Aug. -Oct. but not 

 primaries, primary-coA^erts nor rest of secondaries and greater 

 coverts. 



Measurements and structure. — (^ AAang 64-71 mm., tail 55-61, 

 tarsus 20-22, bill from skull 13-14 (12 measured). $ Aving as male. 

 Primaries : 1st ecpal to, or 1-2 mm. shorter than, primary -coverts, 

 4th and 5th longest, 3rel and 6th sometimes as long but usually 

 .5-2 mm. shorter, 2nd 4-7 shorter anel either equal to or 1-2 longer 

 or shorter than 7th (5-7 shoiter than longest) ; 3id to 6th emar- 

 ginated outer AA'ebs. Secondaries about equal to 10th primary, 

 tips fairly square. Tail fairly square, 12 feathers, tips sharply 

 sloped off giA^ng tail a slightly forkeel ajipearance. Bill rather flat 

 and broad at base, tapering rather abruptly to point which is more 

 compressed. Nostrils slit-like being covered by membrane. A 

 fcAA' very fine and very short nasal bristles and some longer and 

 stronger rictal bristles. 



iSoft 2>cirts. — Bill black-broAvn, base of loAver mandible pinkish- 

 broAvn ; legs and feet pinkish -broAAai ; iris broAvn. 



Characters and allied forms. — For differences of P. m. modularis 

 see under that form ; P. m. orientalis (Transcaucasia) is stated to 

 haA'e sides of head and neck broAA-ner not so grey and back more 

 rufous ; P. m. blanfordi (south-Avest Persia) is stated to have uniform 



