some Soulh-Amcrican Birds. 277 



All tLe birds iu second plumage that 1 have examined 

 (February- June) are moulting, unlike one taken in July. 



AVliat, however, I should like to exauiine, and what is 

 not shown in the large series before me, is a tirst-plumage 

 bird in moult. 



Circus maculosus. 



The small but good series of this Harrier collected by 

 Miss Runnacles and myself and now in the National Col- 

 lection (see 'Ibis/ 1911, p. 380), coupled with the series 

 already there, allows me to make some contribution to the 

 bewildering stages of plumage through which this species 

 passes. 1 am able to make out no less than six stages of 

 plumage which it undergoes, as follows : — • 



(1) In down. 



(2) Above dark brown, the feathers edged with rufous ; 

 below throat buff; breast and belly, each feather longi- 

 tudinally centred with dark brown and edged with buff, 

 giving the under parts a broadly streaked appeai'ance ; thighs 

 rufous ; under tail-coverts niixed. dark brown, buff, and 

 rufous. 



(3) A very dark dress, deep brown above and below ; 

 marked with rufous on the breast ; wing-coverts, wings, and 

 tail dirty grey. 



(4) A still darker dress, blackish brown above and below, 

 no rufous markings ; wings and tail clearer grey. 



(5) Above similar to the fourth dress ; below blackish 

 brown, each feather spotted or barred with whitish (not longi- 

 tudinally centred as in the second dress), giving these parts 

 a mottled appearance ; thighs rich rufous, sometimes tipped 

 with lighter colour ; under tail-coverts barred rufous and 

 white. 



(6) Adult dress. — Male : white below, sparingly spotted 

 and streaked with black on the flanks and belly, and with 

 narrow V-shaped buff markings on the thighs. 



Female : suftYised with buff below, with broader and more 

 numerous streaks and spots of black, but with less black ou 

 the foreneck. 



