344 MERGANSERS 



greater coverts, outer ones, dusky, inner ones, white, basally black; secondaries, 

 black outer web of inner ones broadly edged with white; primaries, dusky on 

 outer webs and at tips, inner webs, paler; tertials, glossy black, striped with white; 

 lining, silvery grey and whitish, mottled with dusky along forward edge; axillars, 

 white. 



ECLIPSE PLUMAGE: A moult into a partial eclipse plumage takes place in 

 summer, when the male loses much of its brilliance, and somewhat resembles the 

 female. The full-plumaged wing is renewed. 



AUTUMN PLUMAGE: In early autumn the adult male commences a continuous 

 moult out of the partial eclipse plumage, in which it somewhat resembles the 

 female, towards full winter plumage. The wing is as in winter plumage. In early 

 stages a scattering of new, black feathers may be seen on head and neck, with a 

 few white ones in the crest, which also begins to show traces of the black border; 

 there are some new, black feathers on the back and scapulars, with a few rufous- 

 brown ones on the sides. Later, the black-and-white head and crest pattern is 

 apparent, though still somewhat mottled with brownish eclipse-feathers; the black 

 and white bars in front of the wing begin to be noticeable; the back and scapulars 

 are mostly black, and the sides mostly rufous brown, with a scattering of old 

 grey-brown feathers. Most birds attain full winter plumage in early October. 



ADULT FEMALE. Head, greyish brown, crown darker; crest, reddish brown, 

 of hair-like feathers, sometimes whitish at rear; neck, brownish grey to sooty grey; 

 chin and throat, whitish, usually speckled with dusky, occasionally solid sooty 

 grey; bill, upper mandible, blackish with orange on edges, lower mandible, yellow 

 or orange, bill same shape as in male; nail, black; eye, yellow brown to brown. 

 Body. Back and scapulars, glossy brownish black; rump, blacker; chest and sides, 

 grey, feathers of former tipped with whitish, and of latter with pale brown; breast 

 and belly, white; feet, greenish to brownish, webs black. Tail and upper coverts, 

 brownish black; under coverts, brownish grey, tipped with whitish. Wings. Lesser 

 and middle coverts, dusky brown to ashy brown; greater coverts, dusky, tipped 

 with white, outer ones blackish; primaries, as in male; secondaries, as in male but 

 duller; tertials, glossy blackish, with white or ashy stripes; lining and axillars, as 

 in male. 



JUVENILE. In first plumage, sexes are alike and resemble adult female, except 

 back browner, and crest, much less developed. Bill of both sexes, leaden grey above, 

 and flesh coloured below; nail, light brown. This plumage is worn with but little 

 change through first winter, spring and summer, and until November or December 

 of their second year, when sexes differentiate rapidly. By second spring young males 

 resemble adult males but are duller, the crown, back and rump being browner. 

 By the following November or December, when about 2i/ years old, fully adult 

 plumage is achieved. Wing of Male. As in adult female but shows considerable 

 variation in white of greater coverts; in some, the greater coverts show only a 

 small spot of white on one or two feathers, while in others, the greater coverts 

 show more white than those of the adult female, being mostly white with black 

 tips; lesser and middle coverts, like those of juvenile female; tertials, dark brown 

 instead of black, and with less pronounced white strips. By second spring, wing 

 still resembles that of adult female. Wing of Female. As in adult female, but on 

 the average, shows less white in the greater coverts; lesser and middle coverts are 

 browner and darker; tertials, as in young male. 



