220 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Donnington, and Gopsall abound with it..... Subject to much 
variety.” On this point I think Harley in error. The only 
varieties I have met with are the ordinary ones due to sex, age, 
and season; the young being bright red in summer, and at all 
ages changing at the approach of winter to greyish red, due, 1 
think, to what in birds is called “ point-casting” of the hairs. 
A curious, though not very uncommon example, exhibiting 
malformation of the teeth in this animal, was presented to the 
Leicester Town Museum by Mr. R. Wingate, on April 18th, 1876. 
In this specimen the upper incisors have become prolonged and 
curved into a half-cirele in this manner:—The right upper 
incisor is considerably lengthened, coming below the lower jaw; 
it then ascends and curls around, reaching to just below and in 
front of the eye, forming a perfect half-circle, measuring 12 in. on 
its inferior curve. The left upper incisor follows the curve of 
the other until it reaches the lower jaw, when it bends slightly 
away, and enters the mouth, curving upward, inside, until it 
touches the palate. Both the lower incisors are pushed away to 
the left side; the right lower incisor not only bending outward, 
but growing to the length of 3 in. No locality is given with the 
specimen, and I therefore assume it to have been a caged animal, 
fed, doubtless, upon food too soft to allow the natural grinding 
down of the teeth necessary to prevent such malformation. 
(To be continued.) 
ON THE SEASONAL CHANGES OF PLUMAGE IN BIRDS. 
By Atrrep CRAWHALL CHAPMAN. 
No doubt naturalists have frequently observed the great 
dissimilarity in the seasonal plumages of many species of birds. 
This is strikingly noticeable in the case of the Golden Plover. 
On the Northumberland moors the Golden Plover may be said to 
breed commonly. Small parties of them may be seen frequenting 
the lower grounds all through the winter. About the beginning 
of February the change from the white breast of winter to the 
black of summer commences, and gradually increases until the 
bird has attained its full summer dress. When on the wing these 
dark-breasted birds appear to be much blacker than they really 
are. Having shot what appears to be a very black-breasted bird, 
