

ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OF LAPLAND. 325 



the careful examination of specimens in every 

 stage of plumage, both fixed and intermediate) : 



It is quite clear to me that the change from 

 the pure white winter dress to the mottled plumage 

 of spring is an actual moult, and no change of 

 colouring in the feathers, for in all the specimens 

 I obtained from the middle of April to the end 

 of May, the variegated mottled feathers were to 

 be seen, of all sizes, shooting out from the skin, 

 with blood-shafts among and under the white 

 feathers in all parts of the body, some very small, 

 and quite hidden by the white plumage; others 

 full-grown, and occupying patches on the white 

 ground. In not one of the specimens killed at 

 this time could I observe the slightest indication 

 of a white feather gradually changing colour. That 

 the spring dress, however, when once assumed, 

 may change in shading of colour before the blue 

 autumn dress appears, I think very probable. 



Now, with regard to the blue autumn dress. 

 Although I was at first of a different opinion, I 

 am now inclined to think that this dress is also 

 assumed by a perfect moult, and not by the early 

 brown and black mottled feathers becoming blue, 

 for in most of the specimens killed late in July, or 

 early in August, I observed these blue feathers 

 (evidently new), many of them quite small, shoot- 

 ing out of the skin, with blood-shafts under and 



