THE CUCKOO. 53 



webs, sometimes reduced to small spots on outer webs of primaries ; 

 primary-coverts black-brown tipped white, sometimes with chestnut- 

 brown spots on outer webs ; wing-coverts dark brown tipped white 

 and with chestnut -brown spots or bars varying in prominence and 

 not reaching shafts of feathers and usually absent from lesser 

 coverts. Second type : upper -parts somewhat like hepatic 

 variety of adult female but feathers with whitish fringes and 

 chestnut much less prominent and less brilliant, more rufous -brown 

 or chestnut -brown and usually paler ; crown with chestnut -brown 

 bars often scarcely showing, frequently white feathers in centre 

 of crown ; patch of white feathers on nape ; rump and upper 

 tail-coverts tipped whitish and barred grey, grey-brown or dark 

 brown and usually with a slatish tinge or wash ; under-parts as 

 in other type of juvenile but usually with more buff tinge and chin 

 and throat often not so heavily barred ; tail and wing-feathers 

 much as in hepatic female but chestnut not so rich and wing- 

 feathers tipped whitish ; wing -co verts as mantle. 



Juvenile. " Hepatic " female.' — More chestnut on upper-parts 

 than second type described above and rump and upper tail-coverts 

 usually with few dark bars. Like adult hepatic female but with 

 white nape -spot, crown more dark brown and nape barred paler 

 brown, less chestnut ) most feathers of upper-parts with whitish 

 tips, rump more or less barred not so uniform, chin and throat more 

 thickly barred and not so rufous -buff . 



First summer. Hale. — Like adult male but with varying 

 number of juvenile barred secondaries and often greater coverts 

 retained unmoulted. Female. — Some barred juvenile secondaries 

 and greater coverts retained as in male, often barring on other 

 coverts and spots of rufous -brown on outer webs of primaries ; 

 crown and nape often barred rufous -brown and sometimes some 

 barring on mantle and scapulars ; grey of throat restricted, barred, 

 rufous-tinged feathers extending almost to chin. The juvenile 

 plumage is completely moulted (except that some secondaries and 

 greater coverts appear always to be retained) from Nov. -Mar. in 

 winter-quarters. A partial moult of body -feathers takes place in 

 Europe Aug. -Oct., but this seems to be part of the winter moult 

 though it certainly often ceases and then recommences. 



Measurements and structure. — <$ wing 216-228 mm., tail 165-180, 

 tarsus 18-24, bill from skull 24-28 (16 British measured). 9 wing 

 200-223. Primaries : 3rd longest, 1st 60-75 mm. shorter between 

 6th and 8th, 2nd and 4th 10-15 shorter, 5th 24-32 shorter, 6th 

 40-52 shorter ; outer webs not definitely emarginated but those 

 of first three primaries tapering off at tips. Tail rounded, outer- 

 most pair very short, 35-45 mm. shorter than central, penultimate 

 pair 10-20 shorter, 10 feathers, tips rounded. Bill rather slender, 

 broad at base, compressed at tip, upper mandible slightly curved 

 and overlapping a little at tip. Nostrils bare, elliptical with 

 prominent margin. No rictal or nasal bristles. Tarsus short and 



