182 
MU. J. II. GUUNEY, JUN., OX A FEMALE UEUiSTAUT 
IV. 
UN A FEMALE EEDSrAIiT 
{RUTICILLA PIICENICURUS) ASSUMING THE 
PLUMAGE OF THE ]\IALE, 
WITH HEIM AUKS ON SIMILAE INSTANCES 
IN OTHEE SPECIES. 
Ev J. H. Gurney, Jun., F.L.S. 
Read 26th yanuary, 1886. 
The liedstart whicli I liavo the plea,sui'c of exhibiting this evening 
on behalf of Mr. J. G. ]\Iillais, -was caught on its eggs by that 
gentleman in June, 1882, at Frostenden, in Suffolk, and is an 
undoubted instance of a female assuming the plumage of the male, 
though its sex was not actually proved by dissection. The male, 
in the ordinary plumage of a cock, was observed and shot at 
a short distance from his partner. 
As will be seen, it bears no resemblance to the series on the tabic. 
Tlic throat has not the mottling of a young male, nor has it the 
])urc black of an old male. It exhibits a grey hue, which can be 
best expressed by saying that it is a little darker than the back of 
an ordinary adult male. The white forehead of the cock is but 
slightly shown, and the breast, though much redder than in an 
ordinary female, has not half the depth of colour of an adult male. 
Instances of this assumption of male plumage by Eedstarts are 
alluded to in Yarrell’s ‘British Birds’ (first edition, vol. i. p. 240), 
where the author says : “ Very old females obtain plumage some- 
what similar to that of the males ; but the colours are neither so 
bright nor so pure.” Mr. Yarrell does not mention the number of 
specimens ivliich were known to him ; and the statement that they 
were “very old ” though probable, is entirely conjectural. 
* I regret that I am unable to give a coloured illustration, as it is 
dilficult to convey a correct idea in a written description, but I hope that 
Mr. Millais’ graphic brush will portray the exact colours of the bird 01 
some future occasion. 
