181 
the under parts, which have gradually Jess 
of brown spots ; the head becomes of a 
pure white ; the point and base of the beak 
assumes a livid tinge. 
At two years of age, in the autumnal 
moulting, the mantle makes its appear- 
ance ; it is then dusky, marked with ir- 
regular brown and grey spots; the white 
becomes pure, and only dotted with some 
light spots; the tail marbled in various 
forms with black ; the beak assumes a red 
spot, with black in the middle ; the rest is 
of a livid yellow, spotted with black. 
At the third autumnal moulting the 
plumage is complete. 
The young vary accidentally, though 
they have generally all the plumage of a 
greyish white, with faint spots of a deeper 
colour, the quills whitish. Unhealthy birds, 
and the greater part of those kept in a 
state of captivity, are of this description. 
The old birds, in their perfect winter 
plumage, have the head and back of the 
neck white, but all the feathers marked 
in the centre with a light brown streak > 
vol. ni. s 
