64 Changes of Plumage in the Red Grouse. 



and vermiculations of black and chestnut, the latter colour 

 usually predominating. As is usual in this group of birds 

 with incomplete moults, the autumn plumage is rarely com- 

 pletely donned, a greater or lesser number of worn summer 

 feathers being retained. No change whatever is made in the 

 plumage of the male, when once his winter garb is complete in 

 October, till after the hreeding- season ; and towards the end 

 of June or beginning of July he commences gradually 

 moulting into his autumn plumage, which is complete by the 

 middle of August. In summer the white spots on the under- 

 parts, if present, are much less prominent, but this is ac- 

 counted for by the wearing-off of the ends of the feathers. 



Adidt male {autumn jjlumage). The upper parts are black, 

 marked and spotted with rufous-buff or buff, and edged all 

 round with paler buff; the markings are usually more or 

 less concentric on the mantle and back, and the chest is more 

 or less strongly barred and marked with black and buff. 



In September the first feathers of the winter pkimage 

 begin to appear on the back, and tiie barred chest-feathers 

 are mostly replaced by dark chestnut feathers narrowly barred 

 with black. 



Adult female [autumn and winter plumages). Upper parts 

 black, with narrow irregular bars of rufous, and a buff spot 

 at the tip of most of the feathers ; chest feathers narrowly 

 and often irregularly barred with rufous and black, and 

 usually more or less tipped with buff. This plumage is re- 

 tained throughout the autumn and winter ; in early spring 

 the feathers of the summer plumage begin to moult, and 

 by the end of April or beginning of May the summer plumage 

 is complete. Many of the rufous and black autumn-winter 

 feathers, especially those of the chest, sides, and flanks, are 

 not renewed, but change their pattern without a moult. 

 Down the middle of these there first appears a buff shaft- 

 stripe ; gradually this stripe resolves itself into several 

 spots, which spread laterally towards the margins of the 

 feather; meanwhile the interspaces become black, and thus 

 a black and buff barred feather is produced very similar to 

 those which are newly moulted, but not so bright and fresh- 

 looking. 



Adult female [summer plumage). Upper parts black, 

 coarsely mottled and margined with buff or rufous buff ; 

 most of the markings are more or less concentric, and the 

 buff margins to the feathers of the back and scapulars give 

 the bird a more or less scaled appearance ; most of the 

 feathers of the neck, chest, sides, and flanks are buflP, coarsely 

 and irregularly barred with black. In July the autumn 



