THE MOULTING OF P.^DS. 167 



others resembling those of the female in colour. The 

 quill feathers are moulted last of all, and so rapidly do 

 they fall out that for some time the bird is unable to fly. 

 This inconspicuous dress is worn for several months ; 

 then the usual autumn moult commences, which, 

 however, does not extend to the quills, and the drakes 

 then assume their brilliant nuptial plumage. The 

 Sheldrakes, Geese and Swans of both sexes have only 

 one complete moult in the year, and the change of 

 plumage begins before the young are able to fly, the 

 quills dropping out quickly, and rendering the birds 

 incapable of flight for a time. The Pelicans have but 

 one actual moult in the year, but just previous to the 

 pairing season in winter, crests in some species (as in 

 the Shag) and ornamental filaments and tufts (as in the 

 Cormorant) appear, but are lost by abrasion during the 

 ensuing breeding season. 



The progress of the young to maturity in many of 

 these single moulted families of birds is very interesting. 

 All the birds in the Passeridae, as well as the Bee Eaters, 

 Rollers, Kingfishers and Woodpeckers, hatch their 

 young blind and naked. In the sub-families of the 

 Thrushes, Chats, Robins, Flycatchers, and Redstarts, 

 the young in their first plumage have both the upper 

 and under parts more or less spotted and barred ; but 

 after their first moult in autumn, either the adult dress 

 is assumed, traces of immaturity (in the form of buffih 



