350 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



dusky ; white collar absent or incomplete, in some merely indicated 

 at sides of neck and much narrower than in adult ; new mantle 

 feathers as in adult, scapulars with less white ; back and rump as 

 in juvenile ; new upper tail -coverts and small white patch at root 

 of tail as in adult ; horizontal patch of white across shoulder usually 

 narrower and often ill-defined ; new feathers of under-parts and 

 tail as in adult ; wing as juvenile but sometimes new innermost 

 secondaries and median coverts as adult are acquired (innermost 

 secondaries as in adult eclipse). Most feathers of head and neck, 

 some of mantle, scapulars, and upper tail-coverts, some of upper- 

 breast, sides of body and flanks and under tail-coverts, in some all tail- 

 feathers or central pair only, sometimes not tail, sometimes inner- 

 most secondaries and occasionally some median coverts are moulted 

 from Oct. onwards. Only very forward birds fully acquire this 

 plumage. 



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

 tinguished when some juvenile body -feathers are retained on under- 

 parts or by juvenile wing, when not moulted. 



First winter. Female. — Feathers of head and neck, some of 

 mantle, scapulars, occasionally an upper tail-covert, in some a few 

 feathers of upper-breast, sides of body and flanks, sometimes some 

 under tail-coverts, some or all tail-feathers are moulted from Oct. 

 onwards, but not apparently back and rump, lower-breast, belly 

 or vent and not wings in material examined. New body-feathers 

 and tail as adult eclipse female ; owing to presence of retained 

 juvenile feathers upper-parts are browner, with less blackish- 

 plumbeous sheen than in adult female ; lower -breast, belly and 

 vent as juvenile ; wing as juvenile but innermost secondaries shorter 

 and narrower and wing- coverts browner. 



First summer. Female. — Some birds may acquire a few feathers 

 of summer dress, but all those examined had still retained juvenile 

 lower-breast and belly ; one (22/6/17, Schioler coll.) was in full 

 body -moult into 1st eclipse but still had some retained juvenile 

 feathers on breast and belly, wing considerably worn and abraded. 



Measurements and structure. — $ wing 200-209 mm., tail 88-107, 

 tarsus 34-37, bill from feathers 25-28 (12 measured). $ wing 190- 

 197, bill 24-26. Primaries : 1st narrow, pointed and about three- 

 fourths longest primary-covert, 2nd and 3rd about equal and 

 longest, 4th 6-8 mm. shorter, 5th 17-20 shorter, 6th 29-35 shorter ; 

 3rd and 4th emarginated outer and 2nd very slightly inner, webs. 

 Innermost secondaries short, longest shorter than 8th primary, tips 

 slightly pointed. Scapulars of medium length and tapering to a 

 point, in eclipse plumage with square or slightly rounded tips. Tail 

 graduated, pointed, rather long, 14 stiff tapering feathers. Bill 

 shorter than head, tapering, of nearly same height and breadth at 

 base, frontal angle short and blunt, dorsal line straight and sloping 

 to middle then nearly straight, at end decurved, nail large ; a slight 

 membranous lobe at edges of maxilla overhanging rictus ; lamplW 

 entirely hidden. 



