792 



A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



obscured white line ; chin and throat extending behind eye and 

 backwards on sides of neck white, but under eye dark brown and 

 behind eye and along edge of back of neck mottled and speckled 

 brown-black ; whole of rest of under -parts white but under wing- 

 coverts covering base of primaries and secondaries grey-brown ; 

 tail and wing-feathers black, but secondaries evenly and con- 

 spicuously tipped white ; all wing -coverts black as upper-parts. 



This plumage is acquired 

 by complete moult Aug- 

 Oct. All primaries are 

 moulted simultaneously 

 followed by secondaries, 

 greater coverts, primary- 

 coverts and tail-feathers, 

 all of which are moulted 

 in series simultaneously 

 and not singly or in pairs. 

 Summer. — The body-fea- 

 thers are again moulted 

 March-April (occasionally 

 May) but not wing-feathers, 

 wing-coverts or tail. Whole 

 upper-parts more glossy 

 jet-black than in winter ; 

 narrow white lines from 

 base of culmen to eyes 

 well-defined and conspicuous ; cheeks, ear-coverts, sides of neck 

 joining black of upper-parts and chin and throat deep chocolate- 

 brown (concealed bases of feathers of chin and throat white or 

 whitish) ; whole under-parts extending in U -shape on centre of 

 lower-throat white. 



Nestling (Plate 11). — Covered with short down with short silky 

 hair-like tips. Fore-head, lores, and crown white ; back of neck, 

 chin, throat and sides of head mottled brown-black and white, 

 bases of down being black and tips white ; mantle, wings and flanks 

 brown-black speckled pale buff, down being lightly tipped pale 

 buff ; rest of upper-parts brown-black sometimes with a few small 

 buff tips ; whole of centre of under-parts white. Down is replaced 

 by juvenile feathers (very loose in texture) to tips of which it clings. 

 Juvenile. — Upper -parts dark brown, feathers margined black- 

 brown, white lines from culmen to eyes often conspicuous but some- 

 times scarcely noticeable ; chin and throat and sides of head 

 usually deep brown but sometimes chin and centre of throat white 

 dusted with brown at sides and sometimes whole chin and throat 

 mottled brown and white ; rest of under-parts white ; wing- 

 coverts as upper-parts ; tail, primaries and secondaries do not 

 begin to grow until moult to next plumage commences, but primary- 

 coverts and greater coverts give appearance of miniature wing- 

 feathers. 



The Razorbill (Aha torda). A. Adult winter. 

 B. 1st winter. 



