( 321 ) 

 SEQUENCE OF PLUMAGES IN BRITISH BIRDS. 



III. THE BLACK-THROATED THRUSH, BLACKBIRD 



AND RING-OUZEL. 



BY 

 C. B. TICEHURST, m.a., b.c, m.r.c.s., m.b.o.u. 



BLACK-THROATED THRUSH. Turdus atrigularis, Temm. 



Down-Plumage. Not examined. 



Juvenile Plumage. Acquired whilst in the nest, the 

 Down-Plumage being completely moulted. 



Whole head and hind-neck grey-brown ; mantle and scapulars grey- 

 brown, the feathers with dark terminal bars and mesial longitudinal 

 markings of greyish-white, broader on the scapulars ; lower-back, rump 

 and upper tail-coverts ochreous-grey, with terminal greyish-white 

 markings to the feathers ; line from base of bill and superciliary buffish - 

 white ; chin dull white ; lores very dark brown ; moustachial streaks 

 brownish-black and well defined ; cheeks dull white, the feathers tipped 

 with dark brown ; ear-coverts very dark brown, the feathers with pale 

 shaft-lines ; upper-throat dull white, with very few small blackish spots ; 

 lower-throat and breast pale huffish- white, the feathers tipped with 

 roundish blackish spots, smaller on the breast ; belly and flanks dull 

 white, with a few scattered dark terminal bars to some feathers ; under 

 tail-coverts pale bumsh-white, with dark bases, which are hidden ; 

 tail-feathers greyish clove-brown, with an olivaceous tint to the webs 

 of the central pair, and the outer pair browner than the rest, 

 especially noticeable on the undersurface ; primaries and primary- 

 coverts sepia-brown, with paler edges to the outer webs ; secondaries 

 sepia-brown, with huffish edges to the outer webs and visually pale 

 tips to the two innermost ; greater coverts greyish-brown, with 

 broad huffish edges to the outer webs and pale tips, and in some 

 specimens small mesial terminal streaks ; median coverts greyish-brown, 

 with terminal buffish triangular markings ; lesser coverts greyish-brown, 

 with mesial buffish streaks and tips ; under wing-coverts pale rust-colour ; 

 axillaries rather paler. 



N.B. — Before this plumage is moulted the buff markings on the 

 coverts become greyish-white and the ear-coverts become paler brown. 



First Winter-Plumage. Acquired by a complete moult, 

 with the exception of the rectrices, remiges, primary -co verts 

 and a variable number of the greater coverts (usually the 

 innermost three or four are moulted). 



MALE. Whole head dark smoke-grey, the feathers with darker 

 centres ; hind-neck, mantle, scapulars, rump and tipper tail-coverts dark 

 smoke-grey ; an indistinct superciliary of blackish feathers, with greyish 

 margins ; lores blackish ; ear-coverts dark smoke-grey ; chin whitish ; cheeks 

 and whole throat brownish-black, the feathers with rather broad dull 

 white edges and tips, giving the whole a mottled appearance ; breast 

 black, the feathers tipped with greyish-white ; belly dull white streaked 



