H. F. WITHERBY: PLUMAGES. 365 



First Summer-Plumage. Acquired partially by moult, 

 which includes only the whole of the chin and throat and the 

 blue breast-band — and by abrasion and fading. 



MALE. The plumage generally is like that of the First Winter, but 

 the feathers of the whole of the chin and throat, including the black lines 

 on each side, are replaced by new feathers of metallic blue, with a 

 central spot on the lower part of the throat of bright bay feathers. All 

 these feathers are newly grown, the moult taking place in February, 

 March or early April. When freshly grown, they have faint grey tips, 

 which soon become worn off, thus intensifying the colours. The feathers 

 of the ear-coverts and the small feathers round the orbits are also included 

 in this moult, but the new feathers in these parts are coloured as in the 

 First Winter-Plumage. The rest of the plumage becomes slightly 

 modified by wear, the upper side becoming darker ; the whitish 

 edgings to the feathers of the black and chestnut breast-bands becoming 

 worn and the colours becoming more intense in consequence ; the 

 buff-tips to the greater wing-coverts and innermost secondaries also 

 become much worn, but they may still be found even in July birds, 

 especially in the greater wing-coverts. 



FEMALE. Generally like the First Winter-Plumage, but some 

 specimens have a blue moustachial stripe, a rufous-buff throat-spot, and 

 a blue breast-band, but the chin seems never to be blue. 



Adult Winter-Plumage. Acquired by a complete moult. 



MALE. Like that of the First Winter-Plumage, but differing in the 

 following particulars : — The feathers of the chin and throat are bluish- 

 black, with greyish-buff tips, which wear nearly off towards December 

 (the chin occasionally has a few metallic blue feathers) ; the red throat- 

 spot and usually also the chestnut breast-band are of a deeper colour, 

 and the blue moustachial stripe is more pronounced ; the primary and 

 greater wing-coverts are edged and tipped narrowly with greyish-brown, 

 instead of with rufous-buff. 



FEMALE. Like the First Winter-Plumage, but frequently with 

 a little blue on the moustachial stripes, a blue breast-band and some 

 rufous-buff and blue on the throat, occasionally with some chestnut 

 below the blue band. The greater wing-coverts without the buff tips. 



Adult Summer-Plumage. Acquired by abrasion and by a 

 partial moult involving, as in the moult into First Summer- 

 Plumage, only the chin, throat and blue breast-band and ear- 

 coverts and orbits, and by abrasion and fading. 



MALE. Like that of the First Summer-Plumage, but the primary 

 and greater wing-coverts without any rufous-buff tips. 



FEMALE. Generally like the Adult Winter - Plumage, but in- 

 dividuals may have more colour on the throat; the chin, however, 

 does not seem to become blue.* 



N.B. — Adult females, which have blue and red colouring on the throat 

 and breast, may be distinguished from males in First Winter-Plumage 



* I have examined two birds shot in June, and sexed by the 

 collectors as females, which had blue chins, but I think that both of 

 these had been wrongly sexed and were males. Both were in much 

 worn plumage, and one was undoubtedly in First Summer-Plumage. 



