552 A PEACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



but with less russet and more black, sometimes intermixed with 

 pale drab feathers (sometimes tinged russet) with black-brown 

 centres. 



Nestling. — Down on fore-head and eye-stripe buffish-white ; 

 crown blackish-grey mixed buffish-white ; nape greyish-white 

 irregularly marked black ; remaining upper -parts blackish-grey, 

 faintly washed yellowish -buff ; black line from base of upper 

 mandible to eye ; sides of neck greyish-white washed pale yellowish- 

 buff ; chin and throat white ; breast with dusky-black gorget, 

 down tipped white ; remaining under -parts white. 



Juvenile. Male and female. — Crown black-brown, feathers 

 with sandy-brown edges, those of fore -head edged buffish-white ; 

 nape dusky-brown or dark ash -brown, feathers narrowly edged 

 sandy and with imperfectly concealed greyish-white bases ; mantle 

 and scapulars black-brown with greenish gloss or dark sepia, 

 feathers tipped light buff ; black feathers of rump and upper tail- 

 coverts tipped sandy ; long tail-coverts white faintly washed buff 

 at tips ; under -parts as adult winter but pectoral gorget narrower, 

 sometimes tinged browner, and sometimes feathers edged buff ; 

 patch on sides of upper-breast usually lighter and washed buff, 

 some feathers streaked and marked dusky-black ; tail-feathers as 

 adult but usually tipped light buff ; wing as adult but innermost 

 secondaries and coverts and median and lesser coverts (except 

 white coverts) edged buff, sometimes lesser coverts without buff 

 tips. 



First winter. — As adult winter but distinguished by buff edges 

 to some retained scapulars, innermost secondaries and median 

 coverts. The juvenile body-plumage (not all the scapulars), usually 

 tail-feathers, innermost secondaries and coverts, a few median and 

 lesser coverts are moulted Aug. to Nov. but not rest of wings. 

 First summer. Male. — Moult as in adult after which becomes like 

 adult but distinguished by worn buff edges of retained juvenile 

 wing-coverts, especially innermost median. Crown more heavily 

 streaked black-brown or black than adult male, feathers narrowly 

 edged warm buff (sometimes white) ; black band from eye to eye 

 narrower and often incomplete ; nape more or less streaked dusky ; 

 mantle, scapulars, innermost secondaries and new wing-coverts 

 with less russet than in adult male and usually with rather more, 

 or about same, as in adult female. Female. — Moult as in adult but 

 only one or two innermost secondaries and a few wing-coverts are 

 renewed. Like adult female but less russet on upper -parts, inner- 

 most secondaries and new wing-coverts. 



Measurements and structure. — $ wing 147-157 mm., tail 55.5- 

 61.5, tarsus 23-26, bill from feathers 20-24 (12 measured). $ wing 

 146-162, bill 21.5-24.5. Primaries : 1st minute, 2nd longest, 3rd 

 3-6 mm. shorter, 4th 11-17 shorter, 5th 21-24 shorter, 6th 33-38 

 shorter. Longest inner secondary between 4th and 6th primaries. 

 Tail rather short, slightly rounded. Bill moderately stout, short, 

 slightly bent upwards, tip blunt, nasal groove extends to half 



