THE  ASSUMPTION  AND  CHANGES  OF  PLUMAGE  IN  BIRDS. 
17 
In  the  paper  in  the  Linnean  Transactions  before  referred  to,  Mr.  Whitear,  after  de- 
tailing various  instances  of  the  change  of  colour  in  the  feathers  of  birds  during  the  early- 
part  of  the  year,  (a  change  which  has  also  been  observed  in  the  black  and  barred-tailed 
Godwits,  the  Knot,  Dunlin,  grey  and  golden  Plovers,  Mallard,  black-headed  Gull,  and 
others,)  adds  the  following  paragraph.  "  If  the  feathers  of  a  live  bird,  apparently  be- 
ginning to  change,  were  marked  by  fastening  a  piece  of  silk  to  them,  notching  them, 
or  otherwise,  and  it  was  observed  that  the  first  colour  of  the  feather  gradually  dis- 
appeared, while  the  new  colour  extended  itself  more  and  more,  till  the  feather  had 
assumed  that  exhibited  by  the  perfect  bird,  the  fact  would  be  established  beyond 
contradiction."  This  experiment  I  have  performed,  with  the  exact  result  which  had 
been  anticipated. 
A  Herring  Gull  (at  the  Society's  Gardens),  in  its  third  year,  was  examined  at  Christ- 
mas last.  Several  tertial  feathers  were  found  to  have  their  basal  halves  blue-grey,  the 
other  parts  mottled  with  brown.  Two  notches  were  made  with  scissors  on  the  webs  of 
these  feathers,  intended  to  refer  to  the  two  colours  then  present.  Some  other  feathers 
were  wholly  mottled  with  brown,  and  were  marked  with  one  notch.  This  bird  was  re- 
examined in  April.  The  tertial  feathers,  which,  when  marked,  were  of  two  colours, 
were  now  entirely  blue-grey  ;  one  was  tipped  with  white.  The  other  feathers,  which, 
when  marked,  were  wholly  mottled,  were  now  for  two  thirds  pure  white,  the  terminal 
third  alone  retaining  the  mottled  brown. 
The  particulars  which  now  follow  are  from  the  notes  of  James  Hunt,  one  of  the 
Keepers,  made  at  the  Gardens  of  the  Zoological  Society  in  the  Regent's  Park  during 
the  seasons  of  1831,  1832  and  1833,  but  principally  in  1832,  and  will  be  found  to 
confirm,  as  far  as  they  go,  the  views  here  taken.  — 
Black-tailed  Godwit. — Limosa  melanura,  Leisl.  ' 
Black  markings  began  to  appear  on  the  feathers  of  the  lower  part  of  the  breast  and  \ 
belly  of  this  bird  on  the  24th  of  February  1833.  Three  days  afterwards  the  feathers 
on  the  upper  part  of  the  head,  neck  and  breast,  began  to  change  colour  from  dusky 
brown  to  red.  On  the  29th  the  scapulars,  wing-coverts  and  tertials,  began  also  to 
change  their  colour.  By  the  29th  of  April  the  bird  had  arrived  at  the  full  colour  of 
the  breeding  plumage.  The  change  that  has  been  going  on  in  this  bird  since  the  24th 
of  February,  is  absolutely  an  alteration  of  colour,  and  not  produced  by  moulting,  as  I 
examined  the  bird  day  by  day.  The  change  commences  at  the  base  of  each  feather, 
and  the  tip  is  the  last  part  that  alters  in  colour.  ^ 
Ruff. — Tringa  pugnax.  Linn. 
The  moulting  of  the  Ruff  commenced  on  the  head  and  neck  about  the  29th  of  March 
1832  ;  the  feathers  on  the  body  were  not  thrown  off ;  the  head  and  neck  were  left  \ 
destitute  of  plumage,  but  the  feathers  of  the  body  remained  in  a  perfect  state.    The  new  [ 
VOL.  I.  D 
