8 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



in the male described. Moreover the bill in the female was a 

 dull leaden colour, and the irides were a much darker colour than 

 in the male. The whole of the upper plumage was brown but 

 for tlie white secondaries, which were tipped with black, and here 

 and there the brindled grey showed itself on the upper part of 

 the back. 



Judging from these birds and from other Scaups which I have 

 seen, I believe their changes of plumage, which have been in- 

 accuratel}' described by various writers, to be somewhat as under. 

 Further observation, however, is required to confirm tlie opinion 

 here expressed. 



During their first autumn and winter the young males and 

 females are probably much alike, both having a dusky brown 

 head and neck, but at this period I do not think they show any 

 signs of the white face. 



By October, in their second autumn, young males have the 

 brown head, neck, and breast, and a pure white face as in the 

 adult female, but the brown feathers are being rapidly displaced 

 by feathers of a dull soot}^ black colour. By this period their 

 bills, eyes, and feet have attained the colour of the adult bird, 

 viz., blue, straw-yellow, and dull blue, respectively ; thus it 

 apjjears that the soft parts attain the mature colours before the 

 feathers do. Now, I think that by the end of the year these 

 birds would have assumed a plain black head, but the white face 

 would be retained. By this period the young females are in the 

 state of plumage in which I have described No. 2, with the white 

 face in an embryonic condition. 



By October, in the third autumn after they are hatched, 

 I think the young males begin to assume the glossy purple- 

 green head of the adult bird, at the same time gradually losing 

 the white face ; but here a doubt perhaps exists as to whether 

 another year would not have to elapse before the bird attained 

 the purple-green head, as Scaups are obtained in winter with 

 plain black heads and without any white face. By their third 

 autumn the females also probably become adult, resembling 

 very closely the state of plumage in which the male is when 

 onlj^ sixteen months old. 



Briefly, the changes in young males may be as follows: — 

 Fii'st autumn, dull buff-brown head and neck ; second autumn, 

 white face and brown head, the latter turning sooty black ; third 



