H. F. WITHERBY: PLUMAGES. 361 



the outer web, and the innermost greater wing -coverts not white, but 

 like the other wing-coverts, except that -the tips are whitish-buff and 

 broader. 



First Winter-Plumage. Acquired by a complete moult, 

 including the three innermost secondaries, but excluding the 

 rest of the remiges, the rectrices, and the primary- coverts. 

 The bird becomes practically indistinguishable from the adult 

 in winter, but the wing-feathers (except the three innermost 

 secondaries), tail-feathers and primary-coverts often have a 

 slightly more worn appearance. 



MALE. Top of head, scapulars, mantle and back brown and black, the 

 feathers being jet-black, with long reddish -brown fringes ; rump more 

 uniform reddish brown ; upper tail-coverts white, with black pear-shaped 

 centres and rufous tips (the bases of the feathers are black); chin, throat, 

 lores, ear-coverts and cheeks black, with buff fringes, sometimes almost 

 obscuring the black ; on each side of the base of the neck a patch of white, 

 which extends towards the back of the neck and on to the shoulder, but 

 the white in these portions is covered by long fringes of black and 

 chestnut ; breast, sides of belly and flanks chestnut, with narrow buff 

 fringes ; centre of belly and under tail-coverts whitish-buff ; under wing- 

 coverts black, fringed with white ; axillaries white, with basal half 

 black ; tail and wing-feathers and primary -coverts as in the Juvenile, 

 except that the three innermost secondaries have more white ; greater 

 wing-coverts as in the Juvenile, but the innermost with much more 

 white and the others with narrower rufous-buff edges and tips ; median 

 wing-coverts black, with buff tips, the innermost white, or partially 

 white, as in the greater ; lesser wing-coverts the same, but the innermost 

 with white tips only. 



FEMALE. The upper side is much like that of the male, but the 

 black is less intense and the upper tail-coverts have no white ,• lores, 

 ear-coverts and cheeks brown speckled with black ; chin buff ; throat 

 buff, with the black of the lower portion of the feathers showing through ; 

 sides of neck whitish-buff, not white, as in the male ; breast and belly 

 much the same as the male, but not so bright ; tail- and wing-feathers 

 as in the male, but the three innermost secondaries with only a spot 

 of buff and no white at the base of the outer web ; wing-coverts as in 

 the male, but with considerably less white on the inner ones. 



First Summer- Plumage. Acquired by abrasion. 



MALE. Whole of the head, throat, mantle, scapulars, back and 

 rump jet-black, with just an indication of the brown edgings ; 

 upper tail-coverts black and white ; patches on the sides of neck 

 larger than in the First Winter and pure white ; breast deeper 

 chestnut ; centre of belly and under tail-coverts almost white ; axillaries 

 almost black, the long white fringes having nearly worn off ; tail and 

 wing-feathers brownish-black ; wing-coverts jet-black, with the white 

 patch formed by the innermost ones showing larger. 



N.B. — There is much variation in individuals owing to the amount 

 of abrasion which has taken jjlace. 



FEMALE. The upper side becomes more distinctly marked with 

 black owing to wear, but there is always much brown in the 

 plumage ; the lower portion of the throat becomes partially black by 



