THE MASKED SHRIKE. 273 



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

 pair with small white tip, fourth pair with varying 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 very 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 -brown, 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 brown, each feather with blackish-brown crescentic band ; 

 scapulars whitish 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 with dark brown 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 but 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-ccverts 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 not 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 first winter body- 

 plumage is moulted Jan. -April and except for brownish wings and 

 tail and primary-coverts it becomes indistinguishable from adult 



T 



