172 DWIGHT 



3. First Winter Plumage acquired by a complete postjuve- 

 nal moult beginning the end of August. 



Unlike previous plumage, the black chin and throat patch being assumed. Pileum, 

 rump and upper tail coverts smoke-gray, the feathers brownish edged and dusky 

 basally. The back streaked with black each feather partly Mar's-brown and 

 edged with buff. Below, dull white tinged with French-gray on throat and 

 sides, the feather tips with buffy wash, the shafts faintly grayish ; the chin and 

 throat, loral and postocular stripe, black veiled with grayish or buffy edgings ; 

 sides of chin and throat and mid-abdomen nearly white ; auriculars olive gray ; 

 posterior part of superciliary line, postauricular and nuchal regions chestnut 

 veiled with buff edgings. Wings and tail dull black edged with pale cinnamon, 

 rich chestnut on the greater and lesser coverts, the median coverts white, buff 

 edged forming a wing band. 



4. First Nuptial Plumage acquired by wear which brings 

 the blacks, chestnuts and grays into prominence by loss of the 

 veiling feather edgings, and the buff wash is lost. The wing 

 bands, sides of throat and abdomen become noticeably 

 whiter. 



5. Adult Winter Plumage acquired by a complete post- 

 nuptial moult beginning the end of August. Differs very little 

 from first winter dress, the black of the throat usually more ex- 

 tensive and the buff less evident. The crown is usually grayer 

 and the median coverts whiter. 



6. Adult Nuptial Plumage acquired by wear as in the 

 young bird. 



Fcinak. — In natal down and juvenal plumage females are in- 

 distinguishable from males. The first winter plumage is acquired 

 by a complete moult, and is similar above to that of the male, more 

 washed with buff below and without the black throat and chest- 

 nut postauricular patches. The first nuptial plumage is acquired 

 by wear, the buff being largely lost and later plumages differ 

 very little from each other, the only renewal being at the post- 

 nuptial moult. 



It would be interesting to know whether this species on its 

 " native heath " goes through the same sequence of plumages 

 and moults although there is no reason for supposing them to 

 have been modified through acclimatization since it was imported 

 into this country. 



