184



Correspondence.



Another interesting scene is that of a Ribbon Pinch (Cutthroat) which

nestles under the wing of a Harlequin Dove, its head just peeping out.


A hen Bengalese has mated with a Magpie Mannakin, and Mrs. Noble is

much interested to see what the result will be of this hybridism.


[What with Cut-throats and Bleeding Hearts, the inmates of Mrs. Noble’s

aviary do not sound as peaceful as they evidently are!—ED.]



THE MOULT OP IMMATURE BLACK REDSTARTS.


I have noticed the remarks in Mr. W. E. Teschemaker’s letter on moult

of the Black Redstart. I notice in this month’s issue (March) a statement to

the effect that the young after the first autumn moult are darker than the adult

female in breeding plumage. Thus it would seem that the young would not

be in adult plumage for about fifteen months after hatching. I am not quite

certain on this point, as I have never had young of this species in the nest to

enable me to note at what time the adult plumage is assumed.


I had a young male sent me towards the end of July a few years ago, sold

to me as a hen, but, on examining the plumage, I could see it was a male,


In immature plumage the female is of a rusty ashy grey, showing most of

the rust colour on the breast ; the short wing-feathers close to the body are

very narrowly edged with dingy buff. The male is only very slightly larger, but

he is of a uniform smoky grey all over head, neck and back ; the breast has

less of the rusty colour ; the short wing-feathers have broader edges of pale rusty

buff on the outer edge than the female; when the wing is closed it clearly in¬

dicates where the clear white edges would show in the adult plumage ; the two

dark-brown centre tail-feathers are a shade broader than those of the female, but

the remaining orange-red tail-feathers are no brighter than those of the opposite

sex in immature plumage until after the adult feather is attained. This bird

was sent to me in July, moulted the following September and came out into rich

adult costume as bright and clear as any adult male I have ever seen.


If the Black Redstart does not come into adult colour until the second

autumn moult, it is strange why the Common Redstart should not do the same.

This bird, however, after leaving the nest, is like a young Robin with an orange-

red tail, until Autumn, when it moults into adult plumage; the only difference

is that the jet black throat and orange breast is more frosted at the tips of the

feather than in spring, and the white forehead not so clear owing to the feather-

tips being grey like the top of the head. P. P. M. GALLOWAY.



THE MOULT OP IMMATURE BLACK REDSTARTS.


SIR, — I notice that one of our members has some criticism on my recent

short letter on this subject, both from a literary and an ornithological point of

view. He protests against the use of the popular name “ Blackstart" on the

ground that it is a “ lazy abbreviation, which is not only incorrect but might

be misleading.”



