Observations on Moulting. 259 



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scabriculus ; tegulcs picere. Abdomen nigricans. Pedes nigricantes, geniculis 

 rufescentibus, tarsis piceis, calcaribus et articulo basali pedum inter- 

 mediorum luteis. Long. corp. |lin.; expans. alar. 1 lin. Habitat in 

 quercetis apud Sylvam Coombe, die 3tio Julii, 1835, captus. 



Obs. The very minute size of this insect (l-24th of an 

 inch long), and its great rarity, have prevented me from 

 examining the structure of its mouth, &c, so carefully as I 

 could have wished. 



Art. IX. On the Reconciliation of certain apparent Discrepancies 

 observable in the Mode in xuhich the seasonal and progressive 

 Changes of Colour are effected in the Fur of Mammalians and 

 Feathers of Birds ; ivith various Observations on Moulting. By 

 Edward Blyth, Esq. 



On reference to the description of the ermine weasel, in 

 Mr. Bell's History of British Quadrupeds, it will be seen 

 that a statement is there annexed, as a foot-note, on my 

 authority, to the effect that the hyemal change of tint in this 

 animal is sometimes, at least, effected by an actual shedding 

 of the coat, instead of a mere change of colour in the existing 

 fur. I had seen this ; and the fact was much too glaring to 

 be misinterpreted. In an animal that I had not long before 

 examined, the brown fur was every where loose, and came 

 out on smoothing it with the hand, while abundance of new 

 white hairs were perceptible in every stage of growth. 



At the time of penning this observation, however, I was 

 much less familiar than at present with a variety of interest- 

 ing facts that are about to be stated. Most naturalists are 

 well aware that, among the Anatidae, or duck family, in a 

 large proportion of those species in which the sexes are dis- 

 similar, the males retain the female garb during the first 

 winter, and exchange it early in spring for that of maturity. 



The mode in which this change is brought about has lately 

 engaged my particular attention ; and the abundance of wild- 

 fowl, of numerous species, which are exposed for sale in the 

 London markets, has most amply supplied the necessary 

 variety of subjects for examination. 



Here it may be mentioned, that, during the colder months, 

 very nearly the whole of the ducks that are brought to mar- 

 ket are adults in perfect plumage ; and it is not until the 

 middle of February that the young of the preceding year 

 make their reappearance, the males in every stage of progress 

 towards presenting the adult livery. Certain species, also, 

 as the white-eyed pochard, according to my experience, are 

 only brought at the commencement and close of winter; 



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