THE BRITISH RED GROUSE. 861 



buff, barring at bases of feathers usually yellowish and distal 

 central parts of feathers with large black patch ; sides of neck, 

 lower-throat, upper-breast and some feathers of flanks barred "black 

 and yellow-buff to rufous ; rest of under -parts as winter but white 

 tips to feathers reduced by wear ; feathers on tarsus and toes also 

 moult and are shorter and scantier in summer-plumage. 



Adult female. Winter. — Whole upper-parts much like adult 

 male summer and often indistinguishable but tips of feathers 

 usually with larger yellow-buff spots or wedge-shaped marks giving 

 a more spotted appearance ; under-parts often as adult male 

 winter but chin, throat and upper-breast usually more yellowish 

 and more widely and prominently barred with black ; rest of 

 under-parts usually paler chestnut 

 than in male and more prominently 

 barred black, black central area 

 usually much restricted ; tail-feathers 

 as male but considerably more marked 

 rufous -buff central pair being usually 

 much barred and rest more or less 

 barred or vermiculated on basal half 

 of outer webs but outer 3 or 4 pairs 

 often without rufous-buff ; primaries 

 and secondaries as adult male ; wing- 

 coverts with usually paler and buffer 

 bars and vermiculations and inner 

 feathers as well as innermost secon- 

 daries usually with yellow - buff 



Wedge-shaped tips. This plumage Tail and upper tail-coverts of adult female 



is acquired by complete moult as °^ } British Red Grouse {La ' J0pvs s ' 

 in male. Summer. — Moult as in 



male but earlier, viz. March (sometimes commencing Feb.) to May. 

 Whole upper -parts and new inner coverts and secondaries black 

 broadly and prominently barred yellow-buff, terminal bar or fringe 

 of each feather being usually paler and often whitish especially on 

 scapulars and upper tail-coverts (much yellower and more broadly 

 barred than male summer or female winter) ; sides of neck, lower- 

 throat, upper-breast and varying number of feathers on sides and 

 flanks broadly barred yellow-buff and black, chin and upper-throat 

 yellow-buff slightly barred or streaked black and with varying 

 amount of chestnut ; rest of under-parts as winter but feathers 

 which subsequently grow on each side of bare brooding patch on 

 abdomen are sometimes barred black and yellow -buff . 



Nestling.— Much like that of Black Grouse but toes covered 

 with down and rufous of crown darker and often much obscured 

 with blackish and sometimes extending to fore-head ; upper-parts 

 usually darker yellowish-buff (less rufous) and black lines wider and 

 more prominent ; under-parts duller and darker, often more 

 huffish, base of throat usually deeper, more golden-buff. Down is 

 replaced by juvenile feathers. 



