28* HISTORY OF 



the greater, the lark thus evades the pursuit of the hawk, and 

 man the crocodile. In this manner, insects upon the wing en- 

 deavour to avoid the swallow ; but this bird is admirably fitted 

 by nature to pursue them through their shortest turnings. Be- 



fhat even the best ornithologists in Europe have described immature birds, 

 in their various progressive approaches towards their perfect state, as ani- 

 mals of a diiferent species. This has been more especially the case with 

 birds of the vulture, eagle, and falcon tribes, and many others of the larger 

 birds, most of which take from three to five, and even six years of arriving- 

 at the adult state ; while the smaller birds usually reach maturity in one or 

 two years. But in the instance of the \Vliidali Bunting, we have a bird ex- 

 hibiting remarkable changes twice a- year. 



A male of about four years of age, has been in the possession of Sir Pa- 

 trick Walker, at Drumsheugh, near Edinburgh, for upwards of two years, 

 which has afforded me an opportunity of watcliing its proarcss for fully two 

 Be.isons, it having been thrice in its summer plumage since its arrival in 

 bcotland. 



The Whidah Bunting, like most other birds, moults twice a-year, and at 

 two periods assumes so completely different an aspect, both in colour and 

 structure of its feathering, that few would believe it to be the same bird. 

 I have not been able to meet with an account of these periodical changes in 

 its native haunts, and can therefore only describe them as they take place in 

 tliis country, distinguishing them by the summer and winter plumage, al- 

 though these terms but ill express the periods of the year in which the bird 

 is in those distinct conditions ; for it is about the 10th of November that 

 what I term its " summer phunage" is in perfection ; and about the 10th ol 

 June its winter garb is in full feather. 



The moult in the Whidah Bunting takes place in a manner different from 

 iill other birds with which I am acquainted ; for it may bo said to be in a 

 state of perpetual change, as feathers drop off during the whole year ; and 

 the colours of the bird gradually and imperceptibly deepen as it approaches 

 towards the perfect state, and decrease in density when it has reached that 

 point. 



I may remark that this particular bird has, ever since its arrival at Drum- 

 Bheugh, been in the most healthy condition, and its plumage h;is at all times 

 exhibited every mark of the total absense of diseasa lu its first moulting 

 there was considerable irregularity, arising, in all probability, from the con. 

 stitution of the bird not having been yet adapted to this climate. 



In 1828, it commenced its change on the 12th of August, and almost the 

 whole feathers of the breast dropt off in one night, and were nearly as 

 speedily replaced. It reached the perfect state on the 20th October ; where- 

 as last year an indication of change took place on the 16th July, when the 

 feathers of the head became somewhat irregular, at which date the whole 

 colour of the bird was darker than on the 10th June, which I consider the 

 time of its perfect plumage. On the 19th, still greater indications of a change 

 look place. On the 2-tth, almost all the throat feathers had fallen off, and 

 «'ere replaced by black ones, and the ferruginous pectoral feathers were 

 bursting from their sheaths. Many of the cinereous feathers had fiUlcu off 

 from the back, and were replaced by black ones. On the 30th all the throat 



