18 BRITISH BIRDS. [VOL. XI. 
There is no sexual difference in the plumage. The new spring 
plumage is like that of winter, but the streaks on the lower- 
throat and upper-breast are usually more numerous and more 
prominent. Abrasion makes the upper-parts greyer-brown 
and the under-parts whiter. In some individuals the wing- 
and tail-feathers do not appear to moult in autumn and in. 
some they do not appear to moult in spring, so that it is 
possible that these feathers only moult once a year in each 
individual. 
JUVENILE.—Much like the adult but more yellowish tawny- 
brown on the upper-parts and especially the rump ; the tips 
of the tail-feathers and edgings of the secondaries and wing- 
coverts more tawny ; the chin and throat more tawny-buti 
and less white than in the adult and without streaks. 
First Winter.—The juvenile body-feathers and _ lesser 
wing-coverts are moulted from July to September but not 
the rest of the wings nor the tail. First winter birds differ 
from adults much as do the juveniles except that the chin and 
throat are white but without streaks. 
First SummMEeR.—Complete moult as in the adult, after 
which they become like the adults. 
REED-WARBLER (A. s. scirpaceus). 
ApuLts.—Complete moult from June to September. In 
December and January another complete moult takes place. 
There is no sexual difference in the plumage and the winter 
and summer plumages are the same. Abrasion makes the 
under-parts whiter. 
JUVENILE.—Upper-parts as in the adult but still more 
rusty, especially on the rump, wing-coverts and edgings of 
the innermost secondaries ; chin and throat dusky-buff (not 
white) ; breast and flanks more dusky and not so clear a buff 
as in the adult ; narrow rusty tips to the tail-feathers. 
First WINTER.—The juvenile body-feathers and apparently 
the lesser and median wing-coverts are moulted from July to 
September, but not the rest of the wings nor the tail. First 
winter birds are very difficult to distinguish from adults, but 
they appear to be usually more rusty-brown on the upper- 
parts and on the edges of the innermost secondaries and 
greater coverts, while the under-parts are rather darker buff, 
but abrasion tends to make these slight differences disappear. 
MarsH-WARBLER (A. palustris). 
Aputts.—Apparently a complete moult in August and 
September and another complete moult in February and 
March, but unfortunately insufficient material is available to 
make certain of the moults. There is no sexual difference 
