MOULT AND COLOUR CHANGES OF CORNCRAKE. 31 



colour, but the radii considerably darker ; the rami on the bluish 

 part appear bright and of a whitish colour, while the radii are 

 clear and apparently colourless. 



Lastly, we may briefly consider the order in which the 

 feathers come on the nestling. The first feathers show them- 

 selves when the bird is about three days old, and are those which 

 immediately surround the ear, about six in number on each side. 

 Next come the two ventral tracts, beginning at their lower end 

 and gradually stretching up the neck. These are followed by the 

 scapulars and tracts over the thighs, which in turn are almost 

 immediately followed by the dorsal tract. This tract arises 

 simultaneously over the greater part of its length, and then 

 spreads both upwards and downwards. The remainder of the 

 small feathers on the head, legs, and vent are the next to grow, 

 and finally, after a short interval, the primaries, secondaries, and 

 tail quills, followed by their coverts. 



The young birds are able to fly about seven weeks after 

 hatching ; they are similar in plumage to the female, but the 

 brown edgings to the feathers of the back are much broader ; 

 they do not moult till the following February, when they assume 

 the adult dress in a similar manner to their parents. 



