72 BRITISH BIRDS. 



in breadth from 1*0 to '9 inch. It is scarcely possible to confuse the eggs 

 of the Pratincole with those of any other British bird. 



The adult male Pratincole in autumn plumage has the upper parts 

 greyish brown, much darker on the primaries and primary-coverts ; the 

 secondaries are broadly tipped with white, and the rump, upper tail- coverts, 

 and basal portion of the tail-feathers are white. A black line begins at 

 the base of the bill, and passing through the lores and underneath the eye, 

 encircles the chin and throat, which are buff; there is also a slight black 

 moustachial stripe ; the sides of the neck and the breast beyond this black 

 line are greyish brown, shading into buff on the lower breast and into 

 white on the rest of the underparts ; axillaries chestnut, under wing-coverts 

 mixed black and chestnut. Bill black, crimson at the base ; legs, feet, 

 and claws dark brown ; irides dark hazel. The female is slightly duller in 

 colour than the male ; the black on the lores is less developed, the black 

 moustachial line is entirely absent, and the white tips of the secondaries 

 are narrower and less denned. The spring plumage does not appear to be 

 attained by a moult, and only differs from that of autumn in being some- 

 what duller, the buff on the throat and lower breast being more or less 

 faded, and sometimes disappearing altogether. Young in first plumage 

 have the outside tail-feathers shorter than in adults; nearly all the feathers 

 have pale margins, and most of the small ones have nearly white tips, which 

 are emphasized by nearly black subterminal bars. In the plumage of the 

 bird of the year, which is attained by a complete moult, the feathers of the 

 upper parts have obscure buff margins, the throat is streaked, and the 

 black line round it only indicated by streaks. Young in down are white 

 on the underparts and buff obscurely marked with brown on the upper 

 parts *. 



* Dresser appears to have confused the plumages of birds of the year and young in first 

 plumage, which are very distinct. He figures a bird of the year of Glareola melanoptera, 

 which he erroneously says closely resembles the young of O. pratincola, of which he only 

 describes the young in first plumage. It is a pity that anyone should attempt to describe 

 the plumage of birds without having first made himself master of the changes which they 

 undergo. 



