322 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



than females : in some specimens they have quite a blackish 

 appearance about the head, neck, and dorsal region, while the 

 females have always had a lighter and redder general appearance. 



But young Cuckoos vary considerably. In one male I have 

 there is a large white patch on the forehead, and another on the 

 nape, while in the darkest example of a young male in my 

 collection there is no trace of white on any part of the head. 



All the authorities quoted by Mr. Harting are wrong in 

 supposing that the change from the nestling to the hepatic 

 plumage, or from the hepatic to the adult plumage, is the result 

 of a moult. 



I do not think that any moult takes place even between the 

 autumn condition of the young bird and the full grey plumage 

 of, say, June. 



It is probable that fuller investigation will prove that the 

 adult Cuckoo moults once only in the year, and that after its 

 breeding operations are ended, and probably after it leaves this 

 country. On this point I received lately some curious and 

 interesting information from a friend, Mr. Charles Lunn, to the 

 effect that last year he reared a young Cuckoo, and has it still 

 living. It is very tame, knows its master, and has become 

 omnivorous in its diet, preferring cooked vegetables to meat. It 

 remained in its nestling plumage throughout the winter ; and up 

 to past the middle of July there was no sign of any attempt to 

 moult on the part of the bird, but suddenly the feathers began 

 to fall out, and the bird soon became absolutely naked. It did 

 not appear to suffer in health or spirits, but the new feathers 

 began to appear before the end of the month, and according to 

 Mr. Lunn, " they grew with marvellous rapidity." 



My conversation with Mr. Lunn took place before I had read 

 Mr. Harting's article, otherwise I might have put several questions 

 to him bearing on the subject, which must now be deferred until 

 I receive another visit from him, for I have not his present address. 

 There are many birds which do not moult so frequently in 

 the year as we have been led to suppose, and a change of colour 

 in the feather does not always mean a moult. Neither is it 

 always the result of the wearing off of the tips of the feathers, as 

 suggested by some.* But it is caused by the gradual fading away 



* I do not agree with the conclusions of Herr Meves, and shall, I think, 

 when the proper time arrives, be able to completely upset this widely 

 accepted theory, — of the wearing off of the tips of the feathers. 



