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Show 2 3 4 MR. J. T. CUNNINGHAM ON [Mar. 17, adult plumage. There is at least one complete change of feathers, from the chicken plumage to the adult, both in cocks and hens. Whether the chicken-feathers are changed before this I do not know, but there were indications that the wing-feathers at least, in the chicks, had been changed before the assumption of the adult plumage. Aug. 12th. Age 2 months.-I examined one of the cocks, and could distinguish two steel-blue sickle-feathers on each side, not longer than the rectrices and rather narrow. These were the first of the adult tail-feathers to appear, succeeding others of dark, lustreless, brownish black. Aug. 20th. Age 2 months 1 week.-I counted the tail-feathers in some of the chicks. In one of the hens I found 14, or 7 pairs, of rectrices. In one of the cocks, the dark one previously mentioned, the saddle-hackles were almost black with a grey stripe down the centre, instead of reddish. In this bird I found also seven pairs of rectrices, and only four pairs of sickle-feathers which were neutral brown. The other three cocks could also now be individually distinguished, and I give the peculiarities to show the amount of variation :- A. The largest: more advanced in plumage than the rest, more red on the back, breast nearly all black except at the sides; a kink in the comb. B. Similar to A, but not quite so far advanced. C. Similar to A and B, but lighter in tone ; back rather yellowish than red. D. The dark bird above mentioned. Aug. 24th. Age 2 months 11 days.-Examined Cock A and found a number of steel-blue sickle-feathers, or tail-coverts, all with very long horny sheaths at the base indicating vigorous growth. In Cock B similar feathers were only just beginning to sprout. Aug. 26th.-In Cocks C and D very few new sickle-feathers showing. In B the rectrices were being replaced. Sept. 6th. Age 2 months 3 weeks.-In Cock A all the chicken-rectrices had been moulted, and the new steel-blue ones were growing out with long horny sheaths at the bases. In all the cocks the spurs had begun to show as very slight blunt knobs. None of the cocks had crowed yet. Sept. 10th.-Examined one of the hens. Saw several tail-coverts growing with long sheaths but no new rectrices. In Cock D, the dark one, the two central rectrices were long, slender, and curved, and had sheaths at the base, also sheaths to some of the other rectrices. I thought at the time that these central rectrices had not replaced others in the chicken plumage, but grown continuously. I afterwards concluded that they had moulted earlier than in the other cocks. In Cock A the longest tail-covert measured 19 cm. or about 7| inches. |
