432 



A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



secondaries same but with broader white edges to outer webs and 

 tips and more white on inner webs, innermost three secondaries 

 brown broadly edged sandy-buff, the innermost with most of outer 

 web sandy - buff ; primary- 

 coverts black narrowly tipped 

 white ; greater wing-coverts 

 black edged and tipped white, 

 innermost feathers with most 

 of outer webs white and inner 

 webs brown mixed with 

 white ; median and lesser 

 wing-coverts black tipped 

 sandy-buff to white, inner 

 feathers mostly sandy or 

 white with black bases. This 

 plumage is acquired by com- 

 plete moult June-Aug. Sum- 

 mer. The ear-coverts and 

 sometimes a few feathers 

 on chin are moulted Feb.- 

 April but otherwise no moult. 



ATvracirm nf tiTna anH frltrpQ rrf Th- Western Desert-Wheatear (CEnanthe d. homo- 



Abrasion of tips ana cages 01 chroa) Adult male Showi large auiount of 



feathers makes throat, wing- fciaek on tail. 



and tail-feathers and outer 



wing-coverts uniform black, mantle and scapulars richer sandy and 



upper tail-coverts and rump whiter, while in much worn plumage 



blackish-grey bases of feathers of crown and nape are disclosed 



and black extending from sides of neck more prominent. 



Adult female. Winter. -Upper -parts as male but rump and 

 upper tail-coverts rather more buff ; lores and eye-stripe pale buff ; 

 ear-coverts sandy-brown to dark brown ; chin and throat buffish- 

 white ; axillaries and under wing-coverts white with brownish- 

 black bases ; rest of under-parts as male ; tail as male but browner 

 black ; wing-feathers browner with wider and more buff edgings 

 and tips ; wing-coverts browner with more sandy-buff and less 

 white edgings and tips. Moult as in male. Summer. Abrasion 

 makes rump and under-parts whiter ; feathers of chin and throat 

 when much worn show dark bases ; much of buff edgings wears off 

 wing-feathers and wing-coverts but not to same extent as in male. 

 N.B. Some females have considerable amount of brown-black 

 on chin and throat. 



Nestling. (Not examined.) 



Juvenile. Upper-parts as adult female but each feather with 

 pale centre and brownish tip giving upper -parts slightly spotted 

 appearance ; rump and upper tail-coverts whiter than in adult 

 female ; lores and ear -coverts sandy-buff ; under-parts buffish- 

 white, feathers of throat and breast with brownish-buff tips ; 



