.280 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



white on outer webs and usually without " waxy " tips but some- 

 times outermost of the three (i.e., 8th) has " waxy " tip (excep- 

 tionally " waxy " tips are bright yellow) ; primary-coverts black, 

 tipped white ; rest of wing-coverts brown like mantle. This 

 plumage is acquired by complete moult Oct. -Nov. Summer. 

 No moult and no change by abrasion. 



Adult female. Winter and summer. Like male but mantle 

 and scapulars inclined to be more greyish ; chin and throat usually 

 not so intense black ; tail with rather paler and narrower yellow 

 tips and without red on shafts ; 2nd primary usually without white 

 spot, 3rd with small white spot, rest like those of male, but not so 

 bright yellow and with usually only outer side of the V ; secon- 

 daries Avith smaller " waxy " tips than in male on first 7 only and 

 frequently missing on some of these ; exceptionally females are 

 indistinguishable from adult males. 



Nestling. Inside mouth patch of violet-blue on each side of 

 palate and lower mandibles, remainder brilliant, deep cherry-red, 

 tongue port-wine colour (W. H. St. Quintin, Brit. B., in, p. 121). 



Juvenile. Whole upper-parts brown, rump and upper tail- 

 coverts paler brown than mantle, feathers of crown slightly elongated; 

 narrow line on fore-head, lores, and over eye black ; small patch 

 behind eye whitish ; throat, breast and belly brown striated with 

 pale buff; vent whitish-buff ; under tail-coverts pale chestnut; 

 tail as adults but duller ; primaries and secondaries as adults but 

 browner, tips of primaries without the inner side of V and "wax " 

 tips of secondaries small ; primary-coverts black-brown with 

 white tips ; rest of wing-coverts as mantle. 



First winter and summer. Male. Like adult male but wing- 

 feathers browner, tips of primaries without inside portion of V, 

 tip of 2nd primary without spot, tips of secondaries with smaller 

 wax tips sometimes missing on some of the feathers and generally 

 absent in 8th but sometimes present in this feather ; tips of tail- 

 feathers duller yellow. Female. Like adult, but wing-feathers 

 browner, tips of primaries without inside portion of V, tips of 

 secondaries with smaller " wax " tips frequently absent on some 

 feathers. The juvenile body -plumage and wing-coverts are 

 moulted in autumn but not wing- or tail-feathers. N.B. Only 

 one specimen in moult from juvenile to first winter and only one 

 in juvenile plumage have been obtainable for examination. 



Measurements and structure. <$ wing 112-120 mm., tail 59-67, 

 tarsus 20-22, bill from feathers on culmen 10-11.5. $ wing 112-119. 

 Primaries : 1st minute, about half primary-coverts, 3rd longest, 

 2nd sometimes as long but usually 1-3 mm. shorter, 4th 1-5 shorter, 

 5th 11-13 shorter, 6th 16-21 shorter; 3rd and 4th clearly emar- 

 ginated outer webs. Secondaries between 9th and 10th primaries, 

 tips of inner webs square and of outer somewhat sloped off, tip 

 of shafts elongated, flattened and wax-like. Tail slightly wedge- 

 shaped, tail-coverts long, under ones reaching within 5-10 mm. of 



