376 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



causes little difference except that fringes of wing- and tail-feathers 

 become mostly worn off and crown and throat become uniform 

 black. 



Adult female. Differs from adult male in having fore-head 

 and crown greyish-brown with varying amount of brownish- 

 black usually confined to centres of feathers, thus giving a somewhat 

 mottled appearance, but sometimes middle of crown is nearly 

 black ; rest of upper -parts brown with slight greyish tinge, especially 

 on rump ; moustachial stripe showing distinctly whiter than chin 

 and throat, which are usually huffish-white often more or less 

 mixed with blackish ; upper-breast pale buff ; flanks browner 

 buff ; centre of breast and belly white ; axillaries tinged buff ; 

 tail- and wing-feathers as adult male but much browner not so 

 black ; inner secondaries and greater coverts fringed pale buff. 



Nestling. (Not examined.) 



Juvenile. Male and female. Much like adult female but 

 crown and throat with no trace of black ; wing-feathers and greater 

 coverts edged and tipped huffish-brown. 



First winter and summer. Male. As adult male but crown 

 not so uniformly black, often marked grey or brown ; rest of 

 upper-parts not so pure a grey, but tinged . brownish ; feathers 

 of throat more fringed white ; wing-feathers and primary-coverts 

 browner and edged browner ; outer greater coverts and many 

 of the median and lesser coverts also browner. The juvenile 

 body-plumage and a varying number of innermost secondaries, 

 inner greater coverts and some median and lesser coverts are 

 moulted in autumn, but not rest of wings or tail. Female. 

 Difficult to distinguish from adult female, but apparently less 

 black on crown and none on chin and throat and edgings of wings 

 and wing-coverts browner. 



Measurements and structure. $ wing 68-73 mm., tail 59-64, 

 tarsus 20.5-22, bill from skull 13-14 (14 measured). $ wing 66-69. 

 Primaries : 1st usually about two-thirds as long, but occasionally 

 as long as longest primary-coverts, 3rd and 4th longest, 2nd and 

 5th sometimes as long but usually 1-3 mm. shorter, 6th 3-6 shorter ; 

 3rd to 5th emarginated outer webs. Secondaries between 9th and 

 10th primaries or slightly shorter, tips rounded. Tail somewhat 

 rounded, outer three pairs being shorter than central three pairs, 

 12 feathers, tips rather sharply sloped off. Bill fine, somewhat 

 compressed, very little flattened at base. A few short, fine nasal 

 and rictal bristles. 



Soft parts. Bill dark horn, paler at base of lower mandible ; 

 legs, feet, and iris bright red-brown. 



CHARACTERS. Black crown and throat and white moustachial 

 stripes of male very distinctive ; female much like Lesser White- 

 throat, but always has some blackish markings on feathers of 

 crown, more white on outer tail-feathers and shorter 1st primary. 



