C. B. TICEHURST : PLUMAGES. 323 



Adult Summer-Plumage. Acquired by abrasion and 

 fading. 



MALE. Differs from First Summer-Plumage by having the upper- 

 parts slightly paler, the superciliary more definitely marked, the chin, 

 whole throat and breast black, with, as a rule, no whitish margins left. 



N.B. — Before this plumage is moulted the black of the underparts 

 has become brownish-black. 



FEMALE. Cannot with certainty be distinguished from First 

 Summer-Plumage, except where a few specimens in the latter plumage 

 still have some of the 2^ale tips to the greater coverts not yet worn off. 



BLACKBIRD. Turdus merula, L. 



Down-Plumage. Greyish- white. Distribution — Inner supra- 

 orbital, occipital, humeral, spinal and ulnar (c/. Vol. II., p. 189). 



Juvenile Plumage. Acquired whilst in the nest, the 

 Down-Plumage being completely moulted. 



MALE. Whole head, hind-neck and mantle very dark brown, the 

 feathers having rufescent centres and darker margins ; scapulars very 

 dark brown, with broader mesial rufescent streaks ; lower-back, rump 

 and upper tail-coverts dusky blackish brown, the latter having mesial 

 streaks and edges of rufous and the rump faint mesial rufous streaks ; 

 indistinct superciliary formed by rather paler feathers than the rest 

 of head ; ear-coverts very dark brown, with whitish or rufescent shaft - 

 lines ; moustachial streak, chin and upper-throat rufescent or buffish- 

 white, with brown terminal markings, heavier on the first two ; lower- 

 throat and breast rufescent feathers, heavily tipped with brownish- 

 black ; belly pale rufescent to dirty white, the feathers faintly tipped 

 with brownish-black ; tail brownish-black ; primaries, secondaries and 

 primary-coverts brownish black ; greater coverts very dark brown, with 

 pale rufescent tips to all and mesial terminal streaks of rufescent on the 

 inner ones (these streaks are smaller or obsolete on the outer ones) ; 

 median and lesser coverts brownish-black, the feathers with a broader 

 rufescent streak ending in a tip of the same colour ; under wing- 

 coverts pale rufescent. 



N.B. — There is considerable variation in the amount of the mesial 

 streaks on the upperparts and in the general colour and amount of 

 dark markings on the underparts. 



FEMALE. Resembles the male, but has the feathers of the upper- 

 parts rather browner, tail very dark brown, remiges sepia-brown, washed 

 on the outer webs with an olivaceous tint. 



First Winter-Plumage. Acquired by a complete moult, 

 with the exception of the rectrices, remiges, primary-coverts, 

 and a varying number (usually the outer half) of the greater 

 coverts. 



MALE. Whole of upper and underparts brownish-black, some feathers 

 having, especially on the mantle and belly, faint brownish edgings ; 

 tail as in Juvenile Plumage ; primaries, secondaries and primary -coverts 

 as in Juvenile Plumage, but the outer webs browner, due to wear ; greater 



