294 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS 



edged white.* Female. — As male but mantle and scapulars without 

 bars, feathers only occasionally with indistinct bar ; lowest scapulars 

 as adult female but white tips narrower and occasionally speckled 

 dusky (usually broader and whiter than in male) ; wing as adult 

 female but speculum usually duller black, in some sepia, often more 

 or less mottled or clouded white, innermost secondaries and coverts 

 olive-brown, outer webs in some slightly glossed dull green, narrowly 

 edged light buff, one next speculum usually with less white on outer 

 web than in adult female and white often greyish ; greater coverts 

 ash-brown with white or bumsh-white tips (in some speckled black 

 or with a more or less blackish tip) ; median coverts olive -brown 

 with buff- white, drab-grey or buff tips, in some clouded or irregularly 

 barred buff, in some almost as broadly tipped white as in adult 

 female ; lesser coverts as juvenile male. In some breast, belly and 

 vent are more or less spotted dusky- brown. 



First winter. Male.\ — Most body -feathers, sometimes all tail- 

 feathers, sometimes none, sometimes one or two central pairs only, 

 sometimes some innermost secondaries, occasionally an odd median 

 covert are moulted Oct. to Feb., March or April, often feathers of 

 back and rump and other juvenile body -feat hers are retained. As 

 adult winter and only to be distinguished by retained juvenile body 

 feathers, tail-feathers and wing-coverts. 



First winter. Female. — As adult eclipse and only to be dis- 

 tinguished by retained juvenile body -feathers, tail-feathers and 

 juvenile median and lesser coverts. Most body -feathers, not all 

 those of back and rump, some tail-feathers (usually central pair 

 only), occasionally but not usually innermost secondaries are 

 moulted Oct. to March. Some Feb. birds examined had not com- 

 menced to moult the juvenile plumage. In such cases probably 

 very little 1st winter plumage is acquired, the birds moulting 

 straight into first summer plumage. First summer. — In advanced 

 birds a considerable amount of breeding plumage is acquired in 

 March, April and May ; in some all tail-feathers are renewed, others 

 retain some juvenile ones. Moult of tail takes place winter and 

 spring, central pair is nearly always renewed. Innermost second- 

 aries irregularly marked buff are acquired in some. In less forward 

 birds very little breeding plumage is acquired and new feathers 

 contrast strongly with worn and faded ones of first winter and in 

 some cases juvenile plumage. 



First eclipse. Male. — As adult eclipse and only to be dis- 

 tinguished when juvenile- wing -coverts have not all been shed. 

 Moult as in adult. 



* The type with little barring on upper-parts, with greater coverts ash- 

 brown tipped white and median coverts ash-brown suffused bufT are difficult 

 to distinguish from some types of juvenile females with similar wing-coverts, 

 but vermiculated grey and white feathers which are soon acquired at side of 

 rump in male afford infallible guide. 



f In assumption of first winter plumage whitish feathers coarsely 

 vermiculated grey-brown and more or less suffused pale pink-cinnamon, may 

 be acquired and are subsequently shed. 



