Vol. xxvii.] 38 



Mr. Ogilvfe-Grant also exhibited a very interesting 

 series of Harlequin Ducks (Cosmonetta histrionica, Linn.), 

 showing the ' eclipse ' plumage of the male, which appeared 

 to have been hitherto unknown. He said that for many 

 years past he had been endeavouring to obtain examples of 

 this species showing the autumn change, but had only 

 recently succeeded in procuring them from Iceland. The 

 series included :■ — ■ 



^ 1. Adult male still in full plumage. 9. vi. 10. 



2. „ going out of full plumage, in a more advanced stage 

 than either nos. 3 or 4. 5. yii. 10. 



3. Adult male beginning to go out of full plumage. 13. vii. 09. 



4. ,, going out of fuU plumage, in a more advanced stage 

 than no. 3. 19. vii. 10. 



5. Adult male in full eclipse plumage. 11. viii. 10. 



6. „ „ „ „ 28. viii. 10. 



7. ,, „ „ „ , but showing a few new 

 feathers of the black-and-white collar, and crescentic patches 

 on the sides of the breast. 31. viii. 10. 



8. Adult male in full plumage. 12. x. 09. 



He pointed out that the adult male in ' eclipse ' plumage 

 might be distinguished at a glance from the immature male 

 by the colour of the breast and belly. In the adult these 

 parts were uniform dark slaty-grey, while in the young bird 

 they were whitish, spotted with brown. The adult bird in 

 Augrust had the head and neck sootv black, all the ornamental 

 markings having disappeared, except the white ear-spot and 

 the white patches which lie between the base of the bill nnd 

 the eyes; on these patches, however, all the feathers were 

 fringed with sooty-black. The black-and-white collar round 

 the neck and the black-and-white crescentic patches on the 

 sides of the breast, as well as tlie chestnut sides and flanks, 

 were absent, and the long scapulars were uniform sooty-brown. 

 At this time all the flight-feathers had been shed and replaced 

 by new quills about three-quarters of an inch in length. The 

 tail-feathers were also being replaced ; in nos. 5 and 6 some 

 of the old featlicfs were still present, but in no. 7 (killed on 

 the 31st of August) all had dropped out. jNIost of the 

 iTpper breast-feathers had l)een shed aid partly reneved, 



