Comparison of spectra in the Hα region at about 15 and 60 d after the inferred time of explosion for a set of observed Type II SNe with a range of V-band decline rates during the photospheric phase. The spectra have been normalized so that the peak value (in the spectral window shown) is unity, with an additional offset of unity for the upper spectrum. Left-most two columns: standard Type II SNe with a slow decline rate. Third column: SNe that exhibit a much larger brightness at early times followed by a fast decline. Rightmost column: SNe with a huge early-time brightness and a fast decline rate at all times. The photometric differences between these families of events have a clear spectroscopic counterpart (see Sect. 2.3 for discussion).