1082 The Zoologist— February, 18G8. 



at once, and normally is pure white. Sometimes its growth is prema- 

 ture, coming in June or July; it often then, and I should say very 

 naturally, resumes an abnormal appearance ; that is, it is irregularly 

 spotted at the end with black, which is retained in cases all through 

 the winter. This abnormity is caused by the partially immature state 

 of the pigment or colouring matter ; the bird being under the normal 

 age of assuming a particular coloured plumage must unite the 

 pigmentary fluids of both ages, thus accounting for the dark spots. 

 It would be out of place here to speak further on the subject of moult, 

 pigmentary influences, transmutation and regeneration of plumage 

 without moult, albinoism, real and bleaching, &c. ; besides it would 

 take this letter to undue bounds : at some future time I will relate 

 some cnrious facts and dissections relative to these subjects. 



No. 9. Second Winter Plumage. Celestial Surface. — Head and 

 neck white, the former speckled, the latter blotched with black : this 

 appearance is caused by each feather, which is white, having a spot or 

 blotch of black in the centre and tip ; when first assumed the fringes 

 of the feathers are also pale whitish. Immediately before the eye 

 are a patch of black hair-like feathers ; in the region of the eye the 

 speckles are generally closer and smaller. The dark markings of the 

 neck extend well down to the shoulders, where they almost form a 

 collar. The back, scapulars, rump, tail-coverts, tail and the secondary 

 quills as the adult. The secondary coverts are dull lavender-gray, 

 generally dulled with brown, being marked along the margin, as also 

 sometimes the tips of the large secondary coverts with that colour. 

 The bastard wing and its appendages, and also the primary coverts, 

 lead-gray, strongly and irregularly clouded and marked with black; 

 margin from the carpus white, marked with black. Some of the 

 tertials occasionally have a black spot or two. 



Terrestrial Surface. — Region of the chin white, as is the very 

 centre of throat ; the sides of the throat marked like the head ; the 

 breast and part of the sides are marked with black. Belly, vent, 

 under tail-coverts and under wing-coverts white, the latter lightly 

 marked with brown, particularly along the margin. Bill green lead- 

 colour at base, dark at tip, rarely being slightly tinged with yellow at 

 the tip and angle. Feet leaden gray-green. Irides and orbits brown. 

 Moults yellow-orange. 



Type of the Primary Quills— \, 2, 3, 4, 5, no white tip ; 6, 7, 8, 9, 

 10, have white tips ; 1, 2, have each a large white spot after the black 

 tip, the spot of 1 being larger than that of 2; in 1 it includes the 



