824 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



A partial moult takes place Dec -Feb. involving some body-feathers,, 

 long innermost secondaries and greater coverts and sometimes 

 some outer wing-coverts. Plumage as winter. 



Nestling. — Closely and thickly covered with down. Whole 

 upper-parts bright foxy-rufous, crown and neck paler and darkest 

 down centre of mantle and back, sides of head and under -parts paler 

 rufous-buff becoming whitish on chin, centre of under-parts and 

 under wings, bases of rufous down dark brown. This down is 

 replaced by feathers of juvenile. A short greyish down subsequently 

 grows under the rufous down and is replaced by under-down of 

 juvenile. 



Juvenile. — Whole crown and sides of head pale brown to 

 rufous -brown, parts sparsely covered with bristles in adult are 

 closely covered with narrow feathers ; back of neck dark grey, 

 feathers tipped pale brown, giving a somewhat spotted appearance, 

 throat same but rather paler, chin grey tipped brown ; rest of 

 plumage as adult but darker grey and feathers, especially of upper- 

 parts, with pale brown to rufous-brown tips and wing-coverts with 

 blackish shaft-lines ; innermost wing-coverts not nearly so long as 

 in adult and rami only slightly separated. 



First winter and summer. — Tips of feathers of upper -parts 

 become paler brown by wear, and in late winter or early spring a 

 partial moult takes place of body -feathers and innermost secondaries 

 and greater coverts, after which head and neck become much like 

 adult but crown more closely covered with bristle-like feathers,. 

 bases of which have brown rami, sides of head and neck dull 

 greyish -white, back of neck grey-black mixed with brown, inner- 

 most secondaries and greater coverts shorter and not of such loose 

 structure as in adult, new body-feathers purer grey than juvenile.. 

 N.B. — Little material available. 



Measurements and structure.— ■<$ wing 555-610 mm. (measured 

 with tape, see Vol. 1, p.* xiii), tail 190-220, tarsus 230-250, bill from 

 feathers 105-118 (6 measured). $ wing 545-600, bill 103-113.. 

 Primaries : 2nd, 3rd and 4th longest, 1st 25-35 mm. shorter, 5th 

 20-35 shorter, 6th 95-125 shorter ; outer five somewhat decurvedi 

 and outer and inner webs emarginated. Outer secondaries rather 

 longer than 10th primary, tips rounded, inner elongated, curved 

 secondaries reaching about 10 cm. beyond primaries in folded wing. 

 Tail rounded, 12 feathers, tips rounded. Under tail-coverts as long 

 as tail-feathers. Bill straight, stout, narrow and compressed and 

 pointed, ridge of upper mandible broad and flat for about proximal 

 two -thirds, gonys sloping very gradually. Nostrils oblong, narrow 

 and about middle of long and rather deep nasal groove. Nearly half 

 tibia bare ; tarsus comparatively slender ; four toes, hind one very 

 small, others long ; claws strong, that on inner toe larger, more- 

 curved and sharper than others. 



Soft parts. — Bill dull greenish-horn, base tinged reddish ; legs 

 and feet black ; iris red ; skin of fore-part of head bluish-black 

 and of hind-part red and " warty." 



