392 BRITISH BIRDS. 



the Juvenile Plumage ; median and lesser wing-coverts brownish-black, 

 edged with buff, paler on the lesser series ; under wing-coverts and 

 axillaries white, mottled with dark grey. 



N.B. — There is some individual variation in the tint of the upper- 

 parts, in the definition of the superciliary stripe and in the colour of the 

 lores and ear-coverts. There is no constant difference in plumage 

 between the sexes. 



First Summer-Plumage. Acquired in February by moult, 

 which includes all the feathers except the rectrices, remiges, 

 and all the wing-coverts (sometimes the innermost of the 

 greater coverts and rarely also the innermost secondary are 

 moulted), and by abrasion and fading. 



MALE. Whole head, nape, mantle and scapulars grey, the feathers 

 washed and edged with brown, and the outer scapulars with large 

 blackish centres ; rump and upper tail-coverts white ; forehead and 

 superciliary stripe white ; lores and ear-coverts black, the latter with 

 brownish edges ; chin whitish ; throat and upper-breast buff ; lower- 

 breast and belly whitish ; under tail-coverts creamy-buff, sometimes with 

 a few dark markings ; tail-feathers as in the Juvenile Plumage, but with 

 the pale tips worn off ; the whole of the feathers of the wing as in 

 the First Winter-Plumage, but browner and with only a trace of the 

 edgings left ; the new innermost greater covert and secondary (if 

 renewed) black, not brown, edged on the outer web with buff -brown ; 

 under wing-coverts and axillaries white, mottled with dark grey. 



N.B. — The amount of the white on the forehead varies, and by the 

 time breeding commences much of the brown wash and edgings of the 

 upper-parts has gone, the ear-coverts lose the brown edging and the under- 

 parts become paler. 



FEMALE. Whole head, nape, mantle and scapulars grey-brown ; 

 rump and upper tail-coverts white ; superciliary stripe and line from 

 base of bill whitish ; lores dusky ; ear-coverts brown ; frontal band 

 creamy-buff to buff-brown ; chin, throat and breast creamy-buff, rather 

 darker on the breast ; belly, flanks and under tail-coverts whitish-buff ; 

 tail and wings almost as in the male, but the lesser coverts as a rule 

 not quite so dark ; under wing-coverts and axillaries as in the male. 



N.B. — The tints of the upper-parts and breast vary, and by the time 

 breeding commences both upper- and under-parts become paler. 

 The innermost greater wing-covert and secondary are rarely renewed. 



Adult Winter-Plumage. Acquired by a complete moult. 



MALE. Forehead greyish, the band over the base of the bill whitish, 

 but variable in size ; rest of head, nape, mantle and scapulars greyish, 

 the feathers washed and edged with buff -brown ; rump and upper 

 tail-coverts white ; superciliary stripe and line from base of bill white ; 

 lores black ; chin whitish ; throat and upper-breast rich buff ; lower- 

 breast, belly, flanks and under tail-coverts whitish to creamy-buff ; tail 

 as in the First Winter-Plumage ; primaries, secondaries and primary- 

 coverts black, with broad creamy-buff edgings to the outer webs of the 

 innermost two or three secondaries (these are paler and more sharply 

 defined than in the First Winter-Plumage) ; narrow edgings to the 

 rest ; greater uing-coverts black, bordered with grey and edged with pale 



