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Mr. Reginald Phillipps,



p. 18). Far different is it in the spring when the feathers shed, if

shed they be, are plain whity-brown things, for the feathers

afiected are so small it is most difficult to find them, and, if

found, to say positively that they come from the Blue Wren. Of

the old male who was just commencing to come into colour on the

ist June, 1902, I noted on that day that he seemed to be coming

into colour by direct moult. Of the young male, beyond the dates,

I have not any notes on the manner in which the change has been

taking place year after year, but have been accepting the partial-

moult theory without question. This March, having it in my

mind to put pen to paper, I made careful search for cast feathers.

Not a feather could be found in the cage, but, blown out by the

birds’ wings, on the carpet outside I succeeded in finding a few

tiny ones. There are several other little birds in the cage, but I

am reasonably satisfied that at any rate some, probably most or

all, must have belonged- to the Blue Wren. Indeed, I cannot

think from what other bird they could have come, for none other

was shedding feathers. I am of opinion it will be safe to say

that Malurus cyaneus obtains his summer plumes by a direct

moult of certain of the small feathers.


It is interesting to add that the young male did not obtain

his dark bill and tail, nor colour of any kind, during his first

moult in the British autumn of 1902; all through the winter of

1902-3 he remained like the females. On 4 March, 1903, the

three were cuddling together, and then for the first time I noticed

that the throat and chest of one were dark compared with the

other two, but all still had the yellow bill. Although the black

feathers of the throat and a black band across the chest are about

the first parts of the wedding outfit to make their appearance,

yet it was not until the 18th I found that the young bird was an

assured male, and the delay I do not fully understand. It was

not until the glint of the blue caught my eye that I, with much

satisfaction, accepted the situation—for owing to the light colour

of the bill I had scarcely gone so far as to hope that it might be

a male. At this time the bill was still of a light colour; it was

not until April 11 I noted that the bill was “ dark except at the

tip.” But when did the tail assume its dark colour ? most un¬

fortunately I did not watch this point. There must have been



