THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
This is usually recorded as adult female plumage, but many breeding 
males show it. 
Third. The upper-surface becomes more uniform and the tail loses the 
barring, but the head remains unchanged. This is recorded as adult male, 
but females also appear in this plumage. 
Fourth. Very old birds. Tail coloration previously cinnamon is replaced 
by grey? save for subterminal band of black with white tip : all the 
black markings on upper-surface disappear and the head becomes blue-grey 
with black shaft-lines. Black streaks irregularly lost from under-surface, 
sometimes being retained after the head has changed to bluish ; in other cases 
all gone, though head not fuUy changed. 
North records this plumage as “adult males, probably very old birds,” 
but I have also females in this stage. 
These stages of coloration are met with all over Australia. 
