the red feathers on the top of its head. On examining the 

 bird^s head I found that some of the feathers were black at 

 base, leaving only a small margin of red^ whilst others were 

 still almost entirely red. A few days later the thin red 

 margins of the feathers previously examined had almost 

 entirely disappeared, and a great many of the others, viz. 

 the red crown-feathers, were now likewise black at base. 

 Great care was taken to ascertain whether any feathers were 

 shed, but none were found in the cage, nor was there any 

 sign of fresh feathers developing themselves in any part of 

 the bird's head. 



By November 5 only a few red crown-feathers remained 

 (fig. 2). In the young male no change had, at that date 

 (Nov. 5), been noticed, and I found, on lifting up the 

 feathers of the crown, that all except a few were still red, 

 without any markings of black. Some, however, at the 

 anterior part of the crown were mottled with black. 



By December 12 all red had disappeared in the female 

 bird. The male now began to moult the feathers at the nape, 

 several being found in its cage. By comparing the extent of 

 red on the crown as it now appeared with that in my sketch 

 taken on November 5, it was found that the change into 

 black had made some progress, the red crown now seeming 

 somewhat smaller than before. 



The male bird changed the black feathers on the nape 

 by moult; but the red crown-feathers turned black by the 

 gradual progress of the black colour beginning at the base of 

 each feather. The female did not change colour by moult, 

 but by a gradual change of coloration in the feathers them- 

 selves, the first regular moult taking place at the age of ten 

 months, at which time the male shed some wing- and tail- 

 feathers. It died during that process, having been killed 

 by a cat. 



