The Zoologist — May, 1870. 2121 



No. 7. Second Summer. — Feet more of an olive-brown. This olive- 

 brown colour is of course built upon the giajish or olive-green of first 

 spring. 



It remains for me now to describe the feet of a first-winter bird after 

 January, and I think it will agree with Mr. Cordeaux's and Mr. 

 Alston's experience. At the present time I have only my journal from 

 commencement of 1867 to refer to, and perhaps exact quotations will 

 be more curious as showing the indescribable nature of the kittiwalce's 

 feet at this age. The first note for 1 867 is February 20 : — " Met a 



iew dozen of kiltiwakes ; four were fired at by , and killed; the 



first was a beautiful adult bird, still in winter dress. The plumage of 

 this bird struck me as very peculiar and beautiful, a most striking 

 effect being produced by the shafts of the gray-blue feathers of the 

 upper surface being darker than the webs of the feather, giving a 

 striated appearance even to the primary coverts. The bill was intense 

 lemon-colour ; the lips and mouth red-orange ; the orbits changing to 

 the vermilion-red of summer. The second was in first winter : bill 

 lemon and black ; inside of mouth red-orange, except the edges of the 

 bill, inside which are pure lemon. Feet tawny, the prominent parts 

 brown. New feathers coming in the back, band at neck growing 

 scanty, rest of plumage as in each winter." 



The next note I thought worthy to make that year was on October 

 28th. It bears somewhat on this subject, so I quote it : " * * * 

 Second autumn ; still had brown feathers in the wing scattered through 

 the coverts (this alludes to the dark band). The bill pale yellow and 

 black, the mouth a dull fleshy orange-red : the feet gray, clouded wilh 

 black. Many birds seen two months ago were in full second-winter 

 plumage, having lost all trace of the old wing band." 



Turning to 1868, I find a quantity of useful notes, but generally 

 foreign to the present question. Any remark with regard to the feet I 

 give. 



"February 6. Second Winter Plumage (written in extenso ; I only 

 give the flesh colourings) : — Bill : dull greenish lemon-colour, clouded 

 slightly in parts with black j irides dark brown ; orbits black. Inside 

 of mouth and lips red. Feet greenish cinereous, clouded with 

 brown.""^ 



Same day. " First Winter Plumage. — Bill wilh scarcely any yellow. 

 Mouth yellow-orange. Orbits black. Black bar still on neck. In the 

 back and scapulars most of the feathers are those of first plumage, worn 

 almost cinereous. There is nothing indeed different, but a iew new 



SECOND SEEIES — VOL. V. Z 



