An example of plumage colour change after moult by climatic displacemeut in a Varied Tit

Abstract

A female Owstons' Varied Tit Parus varius owstoni, a dark race of Seven Is. of Izu had been kept by the author in Tokyo from October. In next September this bird moulted its plumage and acquired an entirely different colour which was almost exactly copious to the mainland race P. v. varius!The racial colour pattern in this species is therefore entirely climatic (though based only on an example). The measurements remained unchanged.