The Zoologist — February, 1868. 1085 



the assumption of the new speckled feathers of the head intermixed 

 with the old white, and that the new feathers of the breast and belly 

 are very faintly tinged with obscure salmon-colour. Unity of 

 feathers alone causes this tint, for no trace of it can be detected on 

 a solitary feather. Can be always known from the adult by the bill 

 and feet.. 



No. 17. Fourth Winter Plumage (November). Celestial Surface. — 

 Differs but little from the old adult; the markings on the head and 

 neck are not so neat, and are more extended towards the shoulders. 

 The primaries are still different from the adult. 



Terrestrial Surface. — Like the adult, but the salmon-colour tinting 

 seems only to shine out of the feather, and is not perceptible except 

 the feathers are in unity. The orbits are dull red, the irides some- 

 thing like the adult. The bill is a gray-yellow, inclining to 

 stone-colour at the angle. The feet are dull yellow, inclining 

 to stone-colour tinted by a succession of numerous small dottings of 

 green. 



Type of the Primary Quills. — Do not differ very essentially from 

 the third-year primaries ; like them all end with a white spot. Nos. 

 1, 2 have the second white spots, but are more developed than last 

 year. No. 2, unlike that of last year, has often the shaft white in the 

 white spot. The white separating the gray from the black in 4, 5, 6 

 is very intense and as white as snow ; it also, unlike last year, includes 

 the shaft contiguous, in its pure colour. No. 7 is quite devoid of 

 black, and, like 8, 9, 10, lavender-gray with extensive white tip. 



No. 18, Link 9. Fourth Spring Moult. — The head and neck moult 

 to pure white ; the orbits change to vermilion ; the feet and bill to 

 yellow, still showing a green tinge. 



No. 19. Fifth Summer Plumage. — Very much as the adult. The 

 bill and feet are not of so good a colour, nor the eye so bright. The 

 breast and belly are not so rich a salmon-colour. Individuals may 

 breed at this age, but from having met them away from the breeding 

 haunt in the breeding season, and from finding no eggs in the ovaries, 

 I have always been under the impression that they do not breed till 

 the following summer. 



No. 20. Fifth Autumn Moult. — Is over in October, wheu the bird 

 presents all the appearance of the adult in winter. 



No. 21. Adult in Winter. Celestial Surface. — Head, neck and 

 sides of throat white, delicately and distinctly marked with black, the 

 order of markings being a dark spot on a white feather ; before the eye 



