PIED WAGTAIL. 165 



Iii the young the bill is dusky, the edges partly yellowish. 

 There is a narrow light grey or yellowish white streak over 

 the front of the forehead: head behind and crown, grey, darker 

 than the back; neck, in the front and on the sides, greyish 

 white. The throat has a dusky line down each side, forming 

 a curved band in the front; the white of the breast is obscured 

 with grey and yellowish brown, and the crescent is but obscurely 

 indicated; sides, light grey; the back is dull grey, in some 

 specimens tinged with green. Greater and lesser wing coverts, 

 blackish brown, edged with greyish white, making two bands; 

 primaries and secondaries, larger and lesser under wing coverts, 

 greyish brown, tipped with whitish. The tail has the middle 

 feathers blackish brown, the rest darker, the two side ones 

 nearly all white; upper tail coverts, grey, darker than the 

 back. Legs and toes, brownish; the feathers on the former 

 are greyish brown, edged with whitish. 



After the autumnal moult the colours become more distinct; 

 the head is still grey, the crescent on the breast is black, 

 and the back is grey as the head. 



A. E. Knox, Esq. says, 'These birds moult soon, having 

 completed the change at the end of July, or early in August. 

 The black feathers gradually disappear from the throat in 

 both sexes, and the dorsal plumage becomes of a lighter colour 

 in each; the back of the male assuming the grey of the 

 female during the breeding season; while that of the female, 

 and the young of the year in both sexes, changes to a very 

 light grey. Indeed, between the two latter, there is no ex- 

 ternal difference of appearance." This moult is completed at 

 various periods, from the end of August to the end of 

 October; the difference being, doubtless, the consequence of 

 there having been one or two broods. In the spring there 

 is another moult, which commences in February, and is com- 

 pleted by the middle of April. The throat first changes, 

 then the head, back of the neck, sides, back, and breast, in 

 succession; but the quill feathers of the wing and of the 

 tail are not changed. 



Albino individuals have been met with, and there is often 

 some yellow on the lower part of the breast. 



