, NOTES. 127 



But then in the only specimens of melanoleucus that I have 

 seen, or that have been described (I don't know of above a 

 dozen specimens altogether) the under parts are white, whereas 

 in Edward's figure they are bright rufous. 



Now, knowing what we do of eutolmus, it would not at all 

 surprise me to learn that in one stage of plumage, melanoleucus 

 was entirely rufous beneath. 



At p. 23, (Vol. III.) I have made some remarks in regard to 

 the changes of plumage of eutolmus, but it may be as well 

 to explain these a little further. 



The quite young bird shot in July or August, just out of the 

 nest, will have the black of the upper surface less lustrous 

 rather than the adult. It will have a very narrow frontal band 

 and line over the e}'e, widening as it passes down the side of 

 the neck, and a line under the eye, all, rather pale golden chest- 

 nut. Chin, throat, breast, middle and upper abdomen, pure 

 silky white; thigh coverts, vent, and lower tail-coverts, rather 

 pale bright chestnut. Nuchal collar inconspicuous, the white 

 feathers being tipped buffy, preceded by a dusky subterminal 

 band. 



A little later, the frontal aud elongated supercilliary bands 

 have increased in width and become a somewhat brighter 

 chestnut. The nuchal collar has become more conspicuous and 

 is now pale buff. 



Then this buff begins to fade, so too does the chestnut of fore- 

 head and supra-orbital bauds, and as these grow white, a little 

 tinge of chestnut rusty begins to show out on the chin and 

 upper throat, and by the time collar and bauds are pure white 

 the chin and upper throat are bright ferruginous. 



Then this 'colour begins to creep down the throat, while 

 the vent, lower tail and thigh coverts assume a deeper ferru- 

 ginous, and a shade of this colour begins to creep up the abdo- 

 men and breast, and at last in the old female, we have the entire 

 under surface bright ferruginous, scarcely, if at all, paler on the 

 breast, but with the thigh and under tail-coverts, much deeper 

 coloured. I doubt the male's ever quite reaching this same stage. 

 Out of 31 females, six are in this plumage. Out of 38 males, 

 none are in this stage, but 8 are in what seems the corres- 

 ponding final stage for the male, in which, the breast is much 

 paler, a sort of palish buff, and the upper and middle abdomen, 

 though more ferruginous and more strongly colored than the 

 breast, is still far from uniform with chin and throat, as the 

 abdomen is in old females. 



With such changes in the case of this species, it would not 

 surprise me to fiud that at one stage melanoleucus was bright 

 ferruginous below, and should such prove to be the case, we shall 



i 



