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DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FIRST PLUMAGE IN VARIOUS SPECIES OF
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS.

By WILLIAM BREWSTER.

Tue ‘first plumage assumed by nearly all young Altrices (birds
which are reared in the nest) at or about the time of leaving the
nest, though representing a universal, and, ‘in the majority of cases,
well-defined stage, has been almost entirely ignored by Ornithologi-
cal writers, or, if referred to at all, in’ such comprehensive and in-
definite terms as to afford information of little distinctive value.
Thus under the general term “young,” we find described sometimes
the real nestling, but more frequently the young in autumnal dress.

My attention was called to this fact some years since by the ex-
treme difficulty, and too often impossibility, of identifying by “the
books” nestlings of even the commoner species. I have since given
special care to the acquisition of series of specimens representing all
the stages through which birds pass in arriving at maturity, and it
is proposed in the course of tke present paper to treat, as fully as
may seem necessary, some hitherto undescribed plumages of North
American birds, and also in certain instances to clear up the confu-
sion that has previously resulted either from misapprehension, or
from a too free use of certain distinctive terms.

While it is to be regretted that the specimens at hand do not
furnish full series of even all the commoner species, it is nevertheless
hoped that, by calling attention to this hitherto neglected field, an
impetus will be given to future investigation that may result in a
more complete knowledge of the subject than can here be presented.
Before proceeding to a detailed consideration of specimens it may’

1
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prove of interest to state briefly a few generalizations regarding the
comparative development of the young in different families of
birds. :

Among North American Altrices the young of most species are
born with thin patches of delicate, soft down, restricted mainly to
the feather-tracts. Beneath this fluffy down the feathers are
already forming ; these soon appear, bearing at their summits the
little tufts of down that formed the down-patches. Meanwhile the
remiges and rectrices have started, and, growing with marvellous
rapidity, the bird is soon able to take wing. The contour-feathers
have now also nearly reached their full growth, and differ in both
structure and color from the later stages of plumage, these feathers
being softer and of a more open texture than those that succeed
them. This is the stage of plumage technically characterized
throughout the following paper as the jirst plumage. Though eva-
nescent, it is usually worn for several weeks after the bird has left the
nest. It is then mowlted, and the regular autumnal plumage suc-
ceeds.

The remiges and rectrices are, however, nearly always retained
until the next regular moult, exceptions to this rule being afforded
by the families Z'etraonide and Picide and the genus Philohela,
and probably by a few other groups, in which the remiges and rec-
trices are moulted with the rest of the first plumage.

The early tegumentary development of most Precoces (birds
whose young run about at birth) is quite different : they are
densely clothed with down until of large size, when, coincident with
the sprouting and growth of the remiges and rectrices, the feathers
of the full autumnal plumage appear. In short, the first plumage
of Altricial birds seems to be omitted or perhaps replaced in the
Precoces by their more complete and longer worn, downy plumage.
A few conspicuous exceptions occur among both groups. Thus,
many Laptores differ from the Altrices in being densely clothed with
down from birth until of large size, when the autumnal plumage is
immediately assumed ; while among Precoces the youngof the Tetrao-
nide, of Philohela minor, and of some of the Rallide (well illus-*
trated by a good suite of Rallus virginianus), pass in succession
through two well-defined primal stages, —the downy one character-
izing their own group and the first plumage of Altrices. In the
Anatide, and probably some other Watatores, the remiges and rec-
trices are not developed until the young bird is almost fully grown
3

and the autumnal clothing-plumage nearly perfect. A few fami-
lies, as the Ardeide, have not been fully investigated, and may fur-
nish additional interesting exceptions.

In concluding these prefatory remarks, I wish to gratefully ac-
knowledge an act of generosity on the part of Mr. Robert Ridgway.
He had some time since made investigations respecting the early
stages of plumage of birds, and had even sent descriptions of the
first plumage of some North American Warblers for publication in the
“Bulletin,” when, learning of my prior researches and somewhat more
extensive material, he very kindly withdrew his paper and placed
the whole result of his work in my hands, thus enabling me to add
a, number of species not represented in my collection. The descrip-
tions of these are presented in Mr. Ridgway’s own words, and indi-
cated by quotation marks and his initials. I desire also to express
my thanks to my friend Mr. J. A. Allen for valuable suggestions
and information.

1. Turdus mustelinus.

First plumage: female. Generally similar to adult, but with the feathers
of crown streaked centrally with buff; “rusty-yellow triangular spots at
the ends of the wing-coverts and a decided brownish-yellow wash on
the breast.” From a specimen in my collection, shot by Mr. W. D. Scott
at Coalburgh, West Virginia, July 25,1872. This bird is perhaps a little
past the first stage of plumage, most of the feathers of the upper parts
being those of the autumnal dress.

2..Turdus pallasi.

First plumage: female. Remiges and rectrices as in adult, but darker
and duller; rump and tail-coverts bright rusty-yellow; rest of upper
parts, including wing-coverts, dark reddish-brown, each feather with a
central tear-shaped spot of golden-yellow : entire under parts rich buff,
fading to soiled white on abdomen and anal region ; each feather on jugu-
lum and breast broadly tipped with dull black, so broadly, indeed, that
this color covers nearly four fifths of the parts where it occurs; rest of
under parts, with exception of abdomen and crissum, which with the
central region of the throat are immaculate, crossed transversely with
lines of dull black. From a specimen in my collection shot at Upton,
Me., June 20, 1873. This bird was very young, —scarcely able to fly,
in fact, — yet the color of the rectrices is sufficiently characteristic to sepa-
trate it at once from the corresponding stage of T. swainsont, which it
otherwise closely resembles. Another specimen of apparently nearly
the same age, taken at Rye Beach, N. H., July 25, 1872, differs in having
a decided reddish or rusty wash over the entire plumage, and by the spots
on the breast being brownish instead of black.
4

3. Turdus swainsoni.

First plumage: male. Above much darker than adult, each feather,
excepting on rump and tail-coverts, with a tear-shaped spot of rich buff :
beneath like adult, but rather more darkly and thickly spotted on. the
breast, and with narrow terminal bands of dull black on the feathers of
the lower breast and sides. From a specimen in my collection shot at
Upton, Me., August 4, 1874,

4, Turdus fuscescens.'

First plumage: female. Above bright reddish-buff, deepest on: back
and rump: feathers of pileum, nape, back, and wing-coverts margined
with dark brown, confining the lighter color to somewhat indefinitely
defined central drop-shaped. spots. Lores and line from lower mandible
along sides of throat, dark sooty-brown: throat, sides, and abdomen '
pale brownish-yellow with indistinct transverse bands of brown ; breast
deep: buff, each feather edged broadly with dull sooty-brown ; anal region
dirty white. In my collection, taken in Cambridge, Mass., July 23,
1874,

5. Mimus carolinensis.

First plumage: male. Pileum dull sooty-brown, many shades lighter
than in adult. Wings and tail as in adult ; interscapular region brownish-
ashy, shading into pale cinnamon-brown on the rump. Entire under
parts barred obscurely with dull brown on a very light ashy ground ;
crissum pale, dead cinnamon. In my collection from Cambridge, Mass.,
August 9, 1875.
6. Harporhynchus rufus.

First plumage. Generally similar to adult, but with the spots on the
under parts much thicker, more diffuse, and dull black instead of reddish-
brown. The pileum is slightly obscured by a blackish wash ; the rump
rich golden-brown, and the spotting on the wing-coverts fawn-color. From
specimens in my collection obtained at Cambridge, July 13, 1874.

Fall specimens differ from full-plumaged spring birds in having the
upper parts of a darker, richer red, with a much stronger rufous wash on
the under parts.

7. Sialia sialis.

First plumage: female. Above dull smoky-brown, unmarked on head
and rump, the latter slightly paler ; but marked over the interscapular
region and wing-coverts by tear-shaped spots of white and pale fawn-
color, these spots occupying the central portions of the feathers. Second-
aries and tertiaries edged, and tipped with reddish-brown; first primary
and lateral pair of rectrices with the outer webs pure white; inner
primaries as in adult, but with the blue of a much lighter shade;
posterior margin of eye with a crescentic spot of soiled white. Under parts,
with the exception of the abdominal region, which is nearly immaculate,
pale ashy-white, each feather broadly margined with dull cinnamon-
5

brown. From a specimen in my collection, shot at Cambridge, Mass.,
June 8, 1874, ‘
8. Regulus satrapa.

First plumage: female. Pileum (including forehead) dark. smoky-
brown ; line over the eye entirely cut off at its anterior corner by the junc-
tion of the dusky lores with the brown of the forehead ; tertiaries broadly
tipped with white ; breast strongly washed with pale dipper other-
wise like adult.’ From a specimen in my collection taken at Upton,
Me., August 25, 1874. A young male taken August 25, 1873, is in
every way similar. A good series of specimens of various ages shot
during August and the early part of September illustrate well the
transitional stages. First the brown of the pileum darkens into two
black stripes, while the line over the eye broadens to meet’ its external
margin. Next, two lines of yellow feathers appear inside and parallel
with the black ones, while the orange of the central space (of the male)
is produced last.
, 9. Polioptila czrulea.

First plumage: male (1). Rectrices as in the adult ; remiges paler, with
a much broader and whiter edging on the tertials ; rest of upper parts
pale mouse-color with a strong wash of light cinnamon. Entire under
parts grayish-white or pale ‘lead-color. In my collection, from ‘Kanawha
Co., West Va., June, 1872. '

10, Lophophanes bicolor.

First plumage: male. Above dull ashy, frontal band scarcely darker ;
sides deep salmon-color. Otherwise like adult. From specimens in my
collection obtained by Mr. W. D.. Scott at Coalburgh, West Va., July 20,
1872.

Z 11. Parus atricapillus.

First plymage: male. Back very dark slate without any tinge of
brownish. Beneath salmon-color, faintest on breast, most pronounced on
sides and anal region. The black on throat and pileum scarcely less
clear than in adult. From specimen in my collection, shot at Concord,
Mass., June 17, 1871.

From about the time of pairing.in spring till early autunm this Tit-
mouse wears a plumage which has been almost, if not entirely, ignored by
writers. The back is clear ashy without any brownish or olivaceous
washing except.in a few specimens on the rump. The under parts are
white, with barely a tr ice of faintest salmon on the sides. of the body ; while
the white margining vu the. remiges is much narrowed and on many of
the feathers replaced by ashy. It may be objected that this generally
paler condition is due to the wearing of the feathers consequent upon the
continual passing of the birds in and out of their nesting cavities, hut not
all of the specimens before me are in worn plumage ; one pair, taken May
12, 1876, being in remarkably perfect dress. At all events, whatever the
6

cause, this peculiar stage is so universally characteristic of all specimens
(at least, New England ones) taken at this season, that it certainly merits
a fuller recognition than it has up to this time received. Five specimens
examined, all collected in Massachusetts in May or June.

12. Parus hudsonicus.

First plumage: female. Above olivaceous-drab, becoming much darker
and more dusky on crown. Sides and anal region very pale brownish-
rusty. Otherwise like adult. From a specimen in my collection taken
at Upton, Me. August 25, 1873. This bird is, strictly speaking, ina
transitional stage, having already acquired many feathers of its fall dress.
It differs sufficiently, however, from the perfected condition of the autum-
nal plumage to merit description under the above heading.

13. Parus rufescens.

First plumage: male. Pileum, nape, and throat dark sooty-brown ;
back dull chestnut, tinged with olive ; sides ashy, washed in places with
brownish-chestnut. Otherwise, like adult. From a specimen in my col-
lection obtained at Nicasio, Cal., by Mr. C. A. Allen, May 21, 1875.

14, Sitta canadensis.

First plamage: female. Above ashy with just a shade of blue;
pileum dark ashy; chin and throat dirty white; rest of under parts
like spring adults, but with a fainter and more general suffusion of
rusty. From specimen in my collection taken at Upton, Me., July 31,
1874. In “History of Birds of North America” (Vol. I, p. 118) Mr.
Ridgway, in giving the specific characters of this species, says : “ The.
male has the chin white; rest of under parts, brownish-rusty.” Of
the female, “ beneath paler, more of a muddy white.” Now, if I under-
stand rightly by this that the breeding plumage of the adult is indicated,
I am confident that the description, so far as it relates to the male, is
incorrect. From the examination of a large series of specimens, collected
in every stage of plumage and at nearly all seasons, I am led to believe
that Mr. Ridgway’s description is applicable only to the male im full
autumnal dress, —a mistake most easily committed when it is considered
that this plumage is worn through the winter months, or nearly up to
the commencement of the breeding season, as is shown by specimens shot
on the migration through Massachusetts in April. It will be seen by a
comparison of the following descriptions that the brightest plumage is
reached in autumnal specimens, a case parallel with that of Parus atrica-
pillus. Hence I have judged it best to redescribe the spring or breeding
plumage, using Mr. Ridgway’s words so far as they are definitely appli-
cable. The autumnal plumage is presented, I believe, for the first time.

Breeding plumage: Adult male. “Above ashy-blue: top of head
black : a white line above and a black one through the eye.” Entire un-
der parts dirty white, tinged very slightly with pale rusty on breast, sides,
7

abdomen, and crissum. From specimen in my collection shot at Upton,
Me., May 31, 1871.

Adult female. With black of head scarcely duller than in the male :
beneath similar, perhaps a trifle less rusty. From specimen in my col-
lection obtained on Muskeget Island, Mass. June 30, 1870. It is very
possible that this bird represents a development of plumage only excep-
tionally attained by the female ; I have seen no other specimen of that
sex with the color of the crown so nearly approaching that of the male.

Autumnal plumage of young: male. Upper parts as in breeding adults,
the ash-blue a little clearer and brighter. Chin white ; rest of under
parts brownish-rusty, paler on throat and intensifying into light chestnut
on sides. A narrow line down centre of abdomen pure. white (this last
feature, though characteristic of most specimens, is wanting in a few).
From a specimen in my collection shot at Upton, Me., September 7, 1874.

Female. Pileum dark ashy mixed with black. Otherwise similar to
male and scarcely lighter beneath. From specimen in my collection shot
at Upton, Me., September 12, 1874.

The adult in autumn is paler beneath than the young.

15. Thryothorus ludovicianus.

First plumage: male. Top of head dark rusty, each feather edged and
tipped broadly with dull black, the former color nearly eliminated by the
latter on the crown and forehead. Under parts nearly as in adult, but
more cinnamoneous ; a few narrow, wavy, and somewhat badly defined
transverse lines of black across the breast and abdomen. From a speci-
men in my collection shot at Petroleum, West Va., May 1, 1874.

16. Troglodytes aédon.

First plumage: female. Upper parts more reddish than in adult :
throat, jugulum, and breast pale fulvous-white, each feather on breast
tipped with pale drab, giving that part of the plumage a delicately scu-
tellate appearance. Abdomen whitish ; sides, anal region, and crissum
dull rusty-brown, becoming almost chestnut on the crissum. No trace
of bars on feathers of the body either above or beneath. From specimen
in my collection shot at Cambridge, Mass., July 9, 1873.

17. Troglodytes parvulus var. hyemalis.

First plumage: male. Remiges, rectrices, etc., as in adult; rest of
upper parts dark reddish-brown, becoming more dusky anteriorly: no
trace of bars except on wings and tail. Beneath dull smoky-brown,
with a strong ferruginous suffusion on sides, anal region, and crissum ;
every feather of under parts with a bar of dark brown. From a specimen
in my collection taken at Upton, Me., August 4,:1874.

18. Telmatodytes palustris.

First plumage: female. Entire pileum, nape, and interscapular region
dull black ; no white streaking or spots; otherwise like adult. From
specimen in my collection taken at Cambridge, August 10, 1873.
8

19, Cistothorus stellaris,

Autumnal plumage: young male, Above similar to adult, but darker,
especially on nape and pileum.' Throat and abdomen light buff ; breast,
sides, anal’ région, and crissuta rusty-brown, paler and with white tip-
pings to the feathers anteriorly. From a specimen in my‘collection shot
at: Cambridge, Mass., September 19, 1870.

20. Mniotilta varia.

“ First plwinage.” Similar in general appearance to the adult female, but_
markings, especially the two stripes of the pileum and the stteaks beneath,
much less sharply: defined ; the streaks of the breast indistinct grayish-
dusky, suffused with pale fulvous, those of’ the back more strongly tinged’
with rusty. The two stripes on the pileum dull grayish-dusky, instead
of deep black. From a specimen in my collection obtained near Wash-.
ington, July, 1876.” — R. R.

21. Parula americana.

“First plumage: male. Remiges, rectrices, etc., as in the adult. Pi-
leum, nape, rump, and upper tail-coverts dull gray, tinged with olive
anteriorly and with blue posteriorly, the back with more or less of an
indistinct patch of olive-green ; throat and eyelids grayish-white, abdo-
men, anal region, and crissum pure white : jugulum and sides of breast
pale ash-gray. From two specimens obtained at Mt. Carmel, Ill, July
17, 1871, Nos. 1457: and 1563, my collection. Both of these show a large’
patch of bright gamboge-yellow on the breast, these feathers denoting the
commencement of the adult plumage. One of them also ‘has the chin
and an indistinct supraloral line tinged with yellow.” —R. R.

22. Protonotaria citrea.

“ First plumage. Remiges, rectrices, primary coverts; and alule as in
the adult. Entire abdomen, anal region, and crissum white ; head, neck,
back, and jugulum pale greenish-olive, the throat and jugulum paler and
more olive, the upper parts brighter and more greenish ; ramp and upper
tail-coverts plumbous-gray. From a specimen killed at Mt. Carmel, I11.,
July 22, 1875 ; in my collection. In this specimen a large patch on eels
side the breast is bright gamboge-yellow (as is also a row of ‘ pin-feath-
ers’ along the middle of the throat), indicating the adult plumage.” —R. R.

23. Helmitherus vermivorus.

“ First plumage. Remiges, rectrices, primary coverts, and alule as in
the adult. Rest of the plumage, including the whole back, lesser, mid-
dle, and greater wing-coverts, buff, deeper below, more brownish on the’
‘back and base of the wing-coverts. Pileum with two badly defined stripes
of grayish-brown, and a narrow streak of the same behind the eye. From
a specimen in Mr. Henshaw’s collection obtained near Washington in July,
1876.” — R.' R.
9

24, Helminthophaga chrysoptera.

Fall plumage: male. Upper parts bluish-gray, washed strongly with
olive-green on the back. Forehead and crown yellow, somewhat ob-
scured by greenish streaking. Occiput bright greenish-yellow. Patch on
wings clear yellow. Band through the eye and entire under parts, as in
the adult. Chin, throat, and jugulum black, each feather broadly edged
with soiled white. White maxillary stripes fairly meeting on anterior
portion of chin. (This last feature may probably be explained by indi-
vidual variation, not by age. I have seen many adults similarly charac-
terized.)

Fall plumage: female. Remiges, rectrices, etc., as in adult. Pileum
and. nape uniform olive-green ; back and rump bluish-gray, washed with
greenish-olive. Upper tail-coverts clear bluish-gray. Sides of head and
entire under parts with a slight wash of brownish-yellow ; otherwise col-
ored like the adult. From two specimens in my collection shot at Cam-
bridge, Mass., July 18, 1874. It may be well to mention that these birds
are in somewhat transitional dress, and have hardly, perhaps, passed from
the first plumage, but as the female differs but little from a specimen of
the same sex in the perfected fall dress, taken August 21, 1875, I have
thought it best to describe them both as in full autumnal plumage.

25. Helminthophaga ruficapilla.

First plumage: female. Remiges, rectrices, etc., as in adult. Two
conspicuous wing-bands of bright buff. Pileum and nape light ashy,
tinged with fulvous, Back ashy, just touched with green ; rump bright
olive-green. Supra-orbital line, ring around eye, and the throat, bright
buff. Lores, maxillary line, and auriculars pale ashy. Breast and cris-
sum gamboge-yellow, each feather tipped with whitish, producing a some-
what hoary appearance. Abdomen pale yellow ; sides dull cinnamon,
with a shade of ashy. From a specimen in my collection taken at Upton,
Me., August 14, 1873. A full series of specimens illustrates well the
progressive stages, The fall plumage is very quickly acquired by young
of this species. -

26. Dendreeca virens.

First plumage: male. Remiges and rectrices as in adult; greater and
median wing-coverts just tipped with soiled white, forming two very
narrow, indistinct wing-bands. Rest of upper parts dark slaty-brown,
each feather of the back edged with bright greenish. Superciliary
stripes (just meeting in a narrow line on the forehead), eyelids, maxillary
line, and chin, bright yellow. Sides of head dark slate; under parts
soiled white, each feather on the breast and sides with a terminal spot of
black; on the throat and jugulum, these spots become large blotches of
dark slate, the feathers being just tipped and edged with light yellow.
From a specimen in my collection shot at Cambridge, Mass., July 30,
10

1875. Like most of the previously described young Warblers, this bird
has a narrow central line of yellow feathers extending down the throat
and jugulum to the breast.

27. Dendreeca cerulescens.

First plumage: male. Remiges and rectrices as in autumnal males, the
former slightly paler in color. Rest of upper parts, including the wing-
coverts, dark olive-brown ; sides of head very dark brown ; lores black ;
throat, jugulum, lower eyelids, and a very conspicuous supra-orbital line,
pale buff ; breast and sides ashy, tinged with olive. Abdomen, anal re-
gion, and crissum strong sulphur-yellow. White spot on base of prima-
ries fully developed.

First plumage: female. Remiges and rectrices as in autumnal female.
Rest of upper parts, including wing-coverts and sides of head, light olive-
brown. Lores dull black. Superciliary line, both eyelids, throat, jugulum,
abdominal and anal regions, with crissum, light buff. Breast and sides
olive, tinged with buff. Spot on base of primaries dirty-white. From two
specimens, male and female, in my collection, shot with parents at Upton,
Me., August 11, 1873. The male above described shows a few black
feathers on one side of the throat. Several adult females in my collec-
tion, taken both in spring and fall, lack the white wing-patch altogether.
Others have it but faintly indicated.

28. Dendroeca coronata.

First plumage: female. Upper parts, in general, dull grayish-white,
tinged with brownish, heavily streaked with slaty-black, the streaks
broadest on the back and narrowest on the pileum ; rump soiled white,
with well-defined streakings like the back. Lower parts pale lemon,
tinged with brownish on the throat, narrowly but distinctly streaked with
dull black over the entire surface. From a specimen in my collection,
shot at Upton, Me., August 7, 1874. The tirst plumage of no other bird
that I am acquainted with exhibits such a remarkable variation from the
more mature stages. The specimen just described resembles closely, in
general markings and coloration, the Pine Finch (Chrysomitris pinus).
As is well illustrated by a full suite of specimens in transitional stages,
the yellow of the rump is acquired early in the first moult, which is very
nearly completed, in most cases, before that of the crown appears.

29. Dendreeca blackburniz.

Furst plumage: male and female. Remiges, rectrices, etc., as in au-
tumnal adult ; rest of upper parts uniform dark brown, each feather on
the back edged with light buff; the white scapular stripe poorly defined.
Head markings precisely similar in ‘pattern to the adults’, but with the
orange everywhere replaced by white, slightly tinged with buff on pos-
terior half of superciliary line. Throat and entire under parts, in the
11

male, clear white, tinged with pale yellow, each feather (excepting on
throat) spotted terminally with black. From two specimens in my col-
lection taken at Upton, Me., August 5 and 6, 1874. One of these, the
male, has a few orange feathers on the throat, indicating the coming fall
plumage.

“Young in autumn. Above similar to the adult female in fall plumage,
but more olivaceous ; all the markings less distinct. Superciliary stripe
and entire lower parts, except the crissum, pale yellowish-buff, hardly
brighter on the jugulum. Sides very faintly streaked with grayish. In
my collection (No. 1003), Mt. Carmel, Ill, August 15, 1870.” — R. R.

30. Dendreeca castanea.

First plumage: female. Remiges, rectrices, primary coverts, and alule
asin adult. Pileum, nape, and rump dull brown ; back dull olive-green’;
upper tail-coverts slaty-black. Entire under parts creamy-white, with
the slightest possible tinge of clay-color, varying to ashy on the breast.
No trace of chestnut on the flanks. Sides of head buff, strongly tinged
with greenish on the auriculars and maxillary line. Each feather of the
body, both above and beneath, with a large terminal spot of black; the
posterior half of abdomen, anal region, and crissum are, however, im-
maculate. In my collection, from: Upton, Me., August 9, 1873.

A very complete suite of specimens, taken late in August and early in
September, illustrates well the development of the plumage of the young
of this species. The spotted feathers of the under parts, with the excep-
tion of a narrow line down the centre of the breast, are the first to disap-
pear, and simultaneously with their removal, the chestnut flank patches
become apparent. Next the pileum and nape take on the autumnal
green, and last of all the feathers of the back and central line beneath
are changed, Adults of this species in fall dress are indistinguishable
from the young, except by the more pronounced chestnut on the sides.

31. Dendreeca pennsylvanica.

First plumage: male. Remiges, rectrices, etc., as in spring specimens.
Wing-bands white, scarcely edged with yellow, and the general aspect of
wing much duller than in fall specimens. Rest of upper parts, sides of
head, jugulum, breast and sides, pale cinnamon, brightest on pileum,
lighter on throat and sides of head. Feathers of back with central spots
of dull black. Abdomen, anal region, and crissum creamy-white. From
a specimen in my collection shot at Cambridge, Mass., July 18, 1874. It
is not a little remarkable that the wing-markings of this bird are much
more nearly like those of adults in spring than of the young in autumn.

32. Dendreca maculosa.

First plumage: female. Remiges and rectrices slightly paler than in
adult; greater and middle wing-coverts just tipped with fulvous, forming
two narrow wing-bands; rest of upper parts, sides of head, including
12

orbital region and eyelids, and breast, dark ashy, somewhat lighter on rump.
Abdomen, anal region, and crissum pale sulphur-yellow, blotched somewhat
indistinctly anteriorly with ashy. Throat pale ashy, with a few yellow
feathers intermixed. From a specimen in my collection shot at Upton
Me., August 10, 1874. This bird was very young, indeed barely able to
fly. Several specimens a little further advanced show an increased
amount of yellow on the throat and abdomen, but are otherwise similar.

33. Dendrceca discolor.

First plumage: male. Remiges, rectrices, etc., as in adult. Wing-
bands very rich buff; rest of upper parts, with sides of head, light cinna-
mon, becoming almost ashy on the forehead and rump, and tinged slightly
with yellowish-green on the back. Eyelids dirty white. Entire under
parts pale lemon-yellow, somewhat duller, and with a shade of ashy on
the breast and sides. From a specimen in my collection shot at Cam-
bridge, Mass., July 11, 1878. This bird has also two patches of bright
yellow on the breast.

34, Perissoglossa tigrina.

First plumage: female. Remiges, rectrices, and primary coverts as in
adult. Pileum, nape, rump, and upper tail-coverts dark slaty-brown,
the back with an indistinct patch of olive-green. Eyelids, throat, jugu-
lum, and sides of breast dark slate; abdomen, anal region, and crissum
solid white, tinged with dull yellow. From a specimen in my collection
shot at Upton, Me., August 21,1874. This bird exhibits a few irregular
patches and isolated feathers of dull yellow on the breast and throat, fore-
runners of the fall plumage.

35. Siurys auricapillus.

“First plumage. Remiges, rectrices, etc., as in the adult. Rest of
upper parts dull fulvous-brown ; the crown without stripes, all the feathers
very indistinctly darker centrally ; lower parts paler, more buffy, fulvous,
growing gradually white toward the crissum, the buffy portions (breast
and sides), with very fine indistinct streaks of dusky. From a specimen
in my collection obtained near Washington.” — R. R.

36. Oporornis formosa.

“ First plumage. Remiges, rectrices, primary coverts, and alule as in the
adult. Pileum and back dull raw-umber-brown, tinged with rusty on the
back and scapulars; throat, jugulum, breast, and sides pale grayish-fulvous,
the abdomen and crissum paler, and slightly tinged with yellow. No
markings of any sort about the head. My collection, Mt. Carmel, IIL,
July 27, 1875.” —R. R.

37. Icteria virens.

“ First plumage. Remiges, rectrices, etc., as in the adult. Head, su-
periorly and laterally, uniform grayish-olive, with a barely appreciable
13

whitish supraloral line and orbital ring, and without black markings.
Whole throat pale ash-gray (almost white on the chin), stained laterally
and anteriorly with yellow ; entire breast gamboge-yellow, obscured with
olivaceous-gray across the jugulum (probably entirely gray at first, the
yellow feathers being probably the beginning of the first moult). Ab-
domen white ; flanks and crissum pale buff. In my collection from Mt.
Carmel, Ill., July 19, 1875.” —R. R.

38. Myiodioctes canadensis.

First plumage: female. Remiges, rectrices, etc., similar to the adults,
Rest of the upper parts, including wing-coverts and sides of head, uniform
deep dull cinnamon ; the greater coverts tipped with fulvous. Throat,
breast, and sides very light cinnamon, tinged with olive. Anal and ab-
dominal regions pale sulphur-yellow. No conspicuous spots, stripes, or
markings anywhere. From a specimen in my collection shot at Upton,
Me., August 4, 1874, This bird was so young as to be scarcely able to fly,
and, with the rest of the brood, was attended by the female parent.

Adult in autumn: male. Similar to adult in spring, but with the yel-
low of the under parts much more intense, and the black spotting on the
breast slightly clouded by the yellow tipping of the overlapping feathers.
From a specimen in my collection shot at Upton, Me., August 29, 1874.

Young in autumn: male. Pileum and back greenish-olive ; nape and
rump bluish-ash, slightly tinged with olive. Centres of a few feathers on
the forehead and cheeks, with a continuous line along the side of the neck
to the breast, dusky-black. A broad band of very small spots (each one
not more than one quarter of the size of those exhibited in the adult
plumage) across the upper part of the breast black. Otherwise similar to
the adult. In “History of Birds of North America,” Vol. I. p. 320, Mr.
Ridgway says, “In the young [these spots] are obsolete.”

39. Geothlypis philadelphia.

First plumage: female. Remiges, rectrices, etc., as in adult ; rest of
upper parts, with wing-coverts and sides of head, dull reddish-brown,
becoming almost cinnamon on the back, and tinged strongly with ashy on
the pileum. Entire under parts light reddish-brown, most pronounced
on the abdominal and anal regions, becoming lighter on the throat, and
darker, with a strong olive suffusion, on the breast and sides. No appre-
ciable maxillary or supra-orbital stripes. From a specimen in my collec-
tion shot at Upton, Me., August 11, 1876. This bird was very young ; in
fact, barely able to fly. A slight doubt exists in my mind as to its iden-
tity, for I did not actually see the parent birds feed it, though both were in
the immediate vicinity and exhibited much solicitude. This specimen is
separable from the corresponding stage of G. trichas by the ashy cast of
the pileum and the absence of brownish on the sides.

Autumnal plumage: young male. Entire upper parts olive-green, the
14
\

feathers of the pileum and nape being just tipped with this color and
showing plainly the ashy underneath when disarranged. Sides of head,
with broad bands extending down each side of the throat and nearly meet-
ing across the jugulum, ash, washed with greenish-olive. Sides, with a
broad connected band across anal region and breast, dull olive-green.
Rest of under parts, with central areas of throat and jugulum, very clear
rich yellow, intensifying into a spot of orange on the breast. In two
specimens (both males) a yellow tipping of the feathers on the jugulum
nearly conceals much black underneath, which becomes conspicuous when
the plumage is slightly disarranged.

Autumal plumage: young female. Similar to the male, but with amore
olive cast-to the green of the dorsal aspect, less ashy on head, and the
spot on the breast of richer, deeper color, and broader diffusion. The
young of both sexes in autumnal plumage have the upper and lower eye-
lids conspicuously fulvous-yellow. In one specimen (male, taken August
21), the eyelids are dirty-white. From seven specimens (two females, five -
males) in my collection shot at Upton, Me., August, 1874. Irrespective
of generic characters, the young of G. philadelphia in autumn are at once
distinguishable from those of Oporornis agilis in corresponding stages, by
the total absence of ashy on the central regions of throat, jugulum, and
breast. So marked is the difference that obtains in this respect that J am
easily able to separate the two species, when lying side by side, at a dis-
tance of fifteen or twenty feet.

40. Geothlypis macgillivrayi.

Young autumal plumage: male. Entire upper parts exactly as in G.
philadelphia of corresponding age and sex. (See preceding species.)
Sides of head very dark ashy, washed with olive. jEyelids white. Fore
part of the breast light ashy-gray, with a slight superficial wash of olive,
shading into buffy-white on the chin. (Again compare with preceding
species.) Rest of under parts clear rich yellow, obscured somewhat with
greenish-olive on the sides. Upon raising, or even slightly disarranging,
the feathers of the throat, broad subterminal bands of black appear on
each feather. These bands or blotches, as in the young G. philadelphia,
are concealed by the ashy tips of the overlapping feathers. From a speci-
men in my collection shot at Nicasio, Cal., by Mr. C. A. Allen, August 1,
1876.

41. Geothlypis trichas.

First plumage: male. Remiges, rectrices, etc., as in adult. Wing-
coverts continuously light brown. Rest of upper parts, including sides of
head, brown, lightest on rump, and slightly tinged with olive on the back.
Throat yellowish-olive, deepening to dark clear olive on jugulum, breast,
sides, and anal region. Abdomen dull yellow, with its lateral margins
bounded by bands of fulvous-brown. «From specimen in my collection
shot at Upton, Me., August 26, 1874. Two other specimens, taken respec-
15

tively July 28 and August 10, present no appreciable difference from the
birds first described.

42. Pyranga rubra.

Occasional plumage: male. Wings and tail black; entire plumage of
body rich orange, with a greenish tinge on flanks and anal region. From
a specimen in my cabinet, collected by Mr. C. J. Maynard, at Waltham,
Mass., May 27, 1869. This remarkable specimen I for a long time con-
sidered unique, but I have recently examined another in the possession of
Mr. Arthur Smith, of Brookline, which is its precise counterpart, and
Mr. Ridgway tells me he has seen still others. This plumage is not to be
confounded with the ordinary immature one of this bird, where the scarlet
is simply of a lighter shade or mixed with patches of yellowish-green. It
is a pronounced uniform coloring, and apparently a completed plumage.
Unquestionably it is abnormal, but hardly to be placed in a category with
albinism, and probably it is not very unfrequent. Adult males of P.
rubra change to the greenish autumnal plumage of the female and young,
a fact not generally known. They may in that stage be distinguished by
the blacker coloring of the wings and tail. I have never seen the young
males in autumn with red feathers appearing in the plumage, as spoken of
by writers ; probably such specimens may be referred to adult birds taken
in August or September, with the moult only partially effected ; many of
such examples I. have now before me, all unquestionably adults. The
scarlet bands on the wing-coverts of some specimens are to be regarded as
individual adornments, independent of age. Many comparatively imma-
ture specimens possess them, while in some of the finest birds they are
wanting.

43. Hirundo horreorum.

First plumage: female. Fork of tail not deep ; outer feathers project-
ing one-half inch beyond the inner ones. Remiges and rectrices brown ;
upper parts, in general, glossed with dull steel-blue ; feathers of rump
and upper tail-coverts edged with rusty ; frontal band narrowed to a mere
line of pale fawn-color. Beneath similar to adult, but everywhere paler.
From a specimen in my collection taken at Rye Beach, N. H., August 21,
1872,

: 44. Tachycineta bicolor.

First plumage: male. Upper parts uniform dark slate, with a fine silky
gloss ; feathers of interscapular region faintly edged with pale fawn.
Secondaries edged and tipped with pale cinnamon-gray. Under parts
soiled white, with a faintly indicated pectoral band of pale ashy-brown.
From a specimen in my collection, shot at Cambridge, June 22, 1872.

A good series of summer specimens shows well the transitional stages.
The first plumage is worn much longer than in most birds, and the au-
tumnal dress very slowly acquired, the metallic tinted feathers appearing
one or two ata time. The remiges are also moulted by the young, as well
as by the adult, and both in the autumnal plumage have the last pair of
16

secondaries broadly tipped with pure white. This remarkable feature, so
far as the specimens at hand go to show, is entirely characteristic of this
plumage.

45, Petrochelidon lunifrons.

First plumage: male. Top of head, back, and scapulars dark brown ;
collar around nape, dull ashy, tinged anteriorly with rusty. Rump as in
adult, but paler; forehead sprinkled with white, and with a few chestnut
feathers. Secondaries {broadly tipped with ferruginous. Throat white, a
few feathers spotted centrally with dusky. Breast and sides ashy, with a
rusty suffusion, most pronounced on the latter parts. A very small area
of pale chestnut on the cheeks. From a specimen in my collection taken
at Upton, Me., July 27, 1874. o

¥

46. Cotyle riparia.

First plumage: male. Upper parts brown, each feather edged with
ferruginous, this edging broadest on the rump and secondaries, narrowest
on the crownand nape. Beneath like the adult, but with the pectoral band
strongly washed with ferruginous, and the throat thickly spotted with the
same color. In my collection, from Rye Beach, N. H., August 24, 1872.
Autumnal specimens have the secondaries tipped with white, but not so
broadly as in Tachycineta bicolor.

47. Ampelis cedrorum.

First plumage: female. Above generally duller cinnamon than in
adult, with obscure streakings of dusky-buff ; rump grayish-brown with a
tinge of olive. Tail narrowly tipped with gamboge-yellow. Two secon-
daries on each wing slightly tipped with the red waxen appendages. En-
tire under parts brownish-buff, palest about anal region, deepest on throat
and chin; breast and sides streaked thickly with cinnamon-brown. A
dull black line, starting from the nostril, passes through the lore to the
eye, where it terminates, embracing, however, the anterior half of both eye-
lids. From a specimen in my collection, taken at Upton, Me., August 14,
1874. I have seen specimens of this species in the first plumage with
not only the secondaries wax-tipped, but several of the tail-feathers also.
Nor is this horny appendage peculiar to the male, as has been stated, for
several undoubted females before me have it fully developed. Much va-
riation likewise obtains among different individuals in respect to the num-
ber and position of these appendages. One specimen (a male, Cambridge, '
March 21, 1870) has every feather of the tail conspicuously wax-tipped, in
addition to nine of the secondaries on each wing, while another has the
primaries (excepting the first three) tipped broadly with white, and in the
centre of each white spot a smaller one of yellow.
17

48. Vireo olivaceus.

First plumage: male. Remiges, rectrices, and greater wing-coverts as
in adult ; rest of upper surfacé, including the lesser wing-coverts and
rump, light cinnamon, tinged with ashy, and upon the interscapular
region washed faintly with “dull green ; cheeks pale buff. Supra-orbital
line and entire under parts silky white, with a delicate wash of pale
brown on the sides, From a specimen in my collection taken at Upton,
Me., July 30, 1874.

49. Vireo gilvus.

Autumnal plumage: young female. Crown precisely as in spring
adult ; interscapular region much more strongly tinged with olive-green.
Primaries and secondaries tipped with ashy-white. Anal and abdominal
regions silky-white. Rest of under parts creamy-buff, lightest on throat
and crissum, most pronounced on the pectoral region, and intensifying
into rich, though dull, brownish-yellow on the sides. From a specimen
in my collection, shot at Concord, Mass., September 12, 1877.

50. Vireo flavifrons,

First plwmage: male. Remiges and rectrices similar to those of the
adults, but with the primaries and secondaries tipped and edged broadly
with white. Rest of upper parts uniformly blue-gray, tinged with cinna-
mon. Throat, cheeks, and pectoral region anteriorly, very pale yellow.
Rest of under parts silky-white. From a specimen in my collection ob-
tained at Cambridge, Mass., June 30, 1871.

51. Vireo solitarius.

First plumage: female. Upper parts dark ashy, becoming lighter on
the rump, and washed strongly with olive-green on the interscapular re-
gion. Abdominal region. and throat soiled white, the latter with a faint
ashy tinge. Sides and crissum pale greenish-yellow. A V-shaped patch
of fawn-color on the lower pectoral region. From a specimen in my col-
lection shot at Upton, Me., August 23, 1873.

This bird is in transitional dress, being slightly past the first plumage.

52. Vireo noveboracensis.

First plumage: female. Entire upper parts brownish-olive ; wing-bands
pale fulvous. Throat, cheeks, and breast fulvous-ash. Central portions
of abdominal and anal regions soiled white. “Sides and crissum pale yel-
low, tinged with buff. Otherwise similar to the adult. From a specimen
in my collection obtained at Cambridge, Mass., July 20, 1871.

53. Pinicola enucleator.

First plumage: male. Forehead, crown, cheeks, and throat dull yel-
lowish-brown, lightest on the throat, with a few blood-red feathers inter-
18

mixed on the forehead and cheeks. A dusky line through the lores.
Occiput and interscapular region purplish olive-brown ; nape a lighter
shade of the same color ; tail-coverts and rump dull yellowish-red ; wing-
bands and edging of secondaries light wood-brown ; entire under parts
reddish-brown, lightest on abdomen, most pronounced on breast and sides.
From a specimen in my collection shot at Upton, Me. August 27, 1874.

Young birds in the second or autumnal plumage exhibit almost endless
variations of coloring. The males may be distinguished in most cases by
the coppery-red on the crown and rump; but some females have the
ordinary brownish-yellow on those parts, strongly tinged with red. One
young male in my collection exhibits a broad pectoral band of light rose-
color mixed with reddish-yellow.

54, Carpodacus purpureus.

First plumage: female. Above dark brown, shading to lighter on the
rump, each feather edged with light reddish-brown. The forehead and
supra-loral line streaked with grayish. Under parts dull white, thickly
streaked everywhere, except on crissum and anal region, with very dark
brown. From a specimen in my collection taken at Cambridge, July 9,
1873. Although this bird is in strictly first plumage, it differs scarcely
appreciably in coloring from autumnal specimens.

55. Loxia leucoptera.

A male and female of this species, received from Mr. J. G. Rich, and
shot by him at Upton, Me., some time in April, differ widely in color-
ing from any specimens which I have previously examined. The male is
very brilliant carmine, nowhere streaked or obscured except on the sides,
abdomen, and forehead. The wings, tail, and scapulars are very clear
glossy-black ; the white wing-bands unusually broad and clearly defined.
The female is similarly marked, with pale orange replacing the carmine
of the male. The rump and breast exhibit large areas of the purest
orange, which, however, is scarcely less pronounced on the back and
crown, although there somewhat obscured by a dusky pencilling. Whether
these specimens represent some regular seasonal phase of plumage, or are

simply aberrant types, I am unable to decide. Both are apparently adult
birds.
56. Loxia curvirostra americana.

First plumage: female. Upper surface generally brown, each feather
edged and tipped with dull gray. Interscapular region washed with
greenish-olive ; rump yellowish-white, with a greenish tinge ; a few only
of the feathers with darker centres. Beneath dull ash, lighter on the ab-
domen, washed with greenish across the breast, each feather with a central
streak of dark brown. From a specimen in my collection obtained at
Upton, Me., June 25, 1873, In general aspect this specimen is much
19

darker than the adult female. It was moulting, and had acquired a few
feathers of the autumnal plumage.

57, Chrysomitris pinus.

First plumage: female. Strong mustard-yellow, tinged on the upper
parts with brownish-olive, every feather, excepting those on the abdomen,
streaked with dark brown. Wing-bands and outer edging of secondaries
fulvons. From a specimen in my collection, chot at Upton, Me. Au-
gust 18, 1873. The first plumage of this species is certainly most remark-
able. The yellow is by no means a mere wash or tinge of color, but pure,
strong, and uniformly distributed. In a series of five or six specimens
collected at about the same time, several exhibit a brownish cast, éspe-
cially on the upper parts, while scarcely any two agree as to the relative
amount and color of the dusky streaks. In one example they are very
broad and almost black, in another, tear-shaped and of a dull brown.

58. Chrysomitris tristis.

First plumage: male. Crown," interscapular region, and rump light
reddish-brown, tinged with olive. Wing-bands and a broad edging upon
the secondaries intense fawn-color. Forehdéad and entire under parts
fulvous-yellow, most prominent on the sides. From a specimen in my
collection, shot at Upton, Me., August 29, 1873.

959. Plectrophanes ornatus.

First plumage: female. Above light reddish-brown, every feather
streaked centrally with very dark brown, most heavily so upon the crown.
Greater and middle wing-coverts pale ashy, tinged with reddish. Lores
and superciliary stripes dull gray, the latter minutely dotted with brown.
Under parts pale fulvous, streaked somewhat finely with brown upon the
breast and jugulum, with a maxillary series of spots of the same color.
From a specimen in my cabinet, collected by Dr. Coues, September 3,
1873, at Souris River, Dakota.

60. Passerculus savanna.

First plumage: male. Above light brownish cream-color, streaked
thickly and finely on the top of the head and nape, more broadly on
the back, with dark brown. Beneath dull white, strongly tinged ante-
riorly with brownish-yellow, finely streaked everywhere excepting upon
the abdominal and anal regions with dull black. Wings paler than in
adult, with the greater and middle coverts tipped with fulvous. From
a specimen in my collection, shot at Upton, Maine, August 11, 1873.

61. Coturniculus henslowi.

First plumage. Top of head, neck, upper parts of back and rump, oliva-
ceous brown; crown with a broad black-spotted stripe on each side.
20

Feathers of interscapular region with heavy central spots of dull black.
Beneath pure delicate straw-color, lightest on the abdomen, deepest, with
a strong buffy tinge, on the throat, breast, and sides ; no spots or markings
of any kind on the under parts. Outer edging of primaries and secondaries
dull cinnamon ; wing-coverts buff. Lores and spot upon the auriculars
dusky. Bill colored like that of the adult. From two specimens in my
cabinet, collected at Concord, Mass., June 19, 1878. With the single ex-
ception of Chrysomitris tristis, this is the only species of the Fringillide,
so far as I am aware, in which the young in first plumage are entirely
immaculate beneath.

Autumnal plumage: young female. Bill black. Crown, chéeks, and su-
peréiliary line, anteriorly, reddish-buff. A narrow maxillary and inframax-
illary stripe and a small spot behind the auriculars, black. Top of head
with two broad stripes of dark brown upon the sides. Post-orbital space,
neck, nape, and back anteriorly dull dlive-green, the nape dotted finely with
dusky. Tertiaries, upper tail-coverts, and feathers of interscapular region
with broad, rounded, central spots of black, shading round their edges
into dark chestnut, and tipped narrowly with ashy-white. Outer surface
of wing similar to the adults, but paler. Under parts pale reddish-buff,
fading into soiled white ufon the abdomen. A broad continuous band
of black spots across the breast, extending down the sides to the crissum.
Throat flecked faintly but thickly with dusky. Chin, jugulum, and
central abdominal and anal regions unspotted. From a specimen in
my cabinet, collected at Osterville, Mass., Novemlgr 6,1874. In the
absence of sufficient material for comparison, I am unable to say whether
this specimen represents the typical autumnal plumage or not. The
black bill is, to say the least, a remarkable feature, and one not found in
either the adult or young in first plumage. 3

62. Coturniculus passerinus.

First plumage: male. Upper surface, including sides of neck, dark
brown, each feather edged and tipped with pale fulvous, — no chestnut
marking. Sides of head ochraceous, spotted finely with dusky. Super-
ciliary line pale buff. Greater and middle wing-coverts dull'white. Be-
neath dull white (in some specimens with a decided yellowish cast).
Sides with a few dusky streaks. A broad continuous band of ovate black
spots across the breast and jugulum, running upward in a narrowing line
to the base of the lower mandible. Several specimens in my cabinet, col-
lected at Nantucket, Mass., in July, 1874. This species in the first plu-
mage may be at once separated from C. henslowi in the corresponding stage
by the conspicuous band of spots upon the breast, and by the darker
and more uniform coloring of the upper parts.
21

63. Ammodromus maritimus,

First plumage. Above light olive-brown, with dusky streakings, broad-
est upon the interscapular region, narrower and more uniformly distrib-
uted upon the occiput and nape. A broad superciliary stripe of fulvous
extending backward to the occiput, finely spotted with dusky upon its
posterior half. Sides of head dull"olive, with irregular patches of fulvous.
Wing-bands of pale fulvous upon the greater and middle coverts. Beneath
pale brownish-yellow, fading to soiled white posteriorly. Sides, and a
broad continuous band across the breast, spotted with dull brown. From
aspecimen in my collection, taken at Bath, Long Island, September, 1872.

64, Ammodromus caudacutus.

First plumage: male. General coloring, both above and beneath, bright
reddish-brown, nearly as in the superciliary stripe of the adult. Feathers
of interscapular region streaked centrally with dark brown ; nape brownish-
olive, unspotted. Two broad stripes of dark brown on the sides of crown.
Wings and tail scarcely more reddish than in adult. Sides of head with
fewer dark markings. Sides of breast somewhat thickly streaked with
dusky ; otherwise unmarked. From a specimen in my collection, taken
at Rye Beach, N. H., August 20, 1869. It isnot a little remarkable that
in a family whose young are nearly without exception more thickly
streaked or spotted than their parents, — and often, indeed, conspicuously
marked in this manner, when the parent is entirely plain, —this bird in
first plumage should exhibit less streaking beneath than the adult, which
has not only a continuous band of dusky markings across the breast,
but also the sides thickly marked in a similar manner. In view of
this fact, the further development of the young is most interesting.
When the autumnal plumage is acquired, the dusky streakings upon the
sides of the breast are entirely lost, and do not again appear until after the
spring moult, when, as previously stated, they are distributed over much
larger areas. A nearly analogous case of development is afforded by the
Arctic and Wilson’s Terns, whose young have the bill and feet at first pale
red or yellow, afterwards dusky or nearly black, and again, when fully
adult, deeper and clearer red than when first from the nest.

65. Melospiza palustris. °

First plumage: female. Crown blackish, each feather obscurely tipped
with lighter. Rest of upper parts reddish-brown, every feather streaked
centrally with dull black. Beneath dull ferruginous-brown, fading to
soiled white on the abdomen, streaked thickly but narrowly with dull
black everywhere excepting on the abdomen. Sides of*head dusky, with
irregular patches of dark brown. No appreciable ashy anywhere. From’
a specimen in my collection taken at Cambridge, Mass., June 24, 1872.
Specimens in first plumage show considerable variation in the amount of
streaking beneath. Some are so faintly marked that at a little distance
22

they appear entirely plain. They may be at once distinguished from ex-
amples of M. melodia in corresponding plumage by the much darker cast
of the upper surface (especially of the crown) and by the finer character of
the markings beneath.

66. Melospiza melodia.

First plumage: male. Above similar to the adult, but with the crown
less rufous, and the markings of the feathers upon the interscapular region
decidedly darker. The sides of the head are also more buffy and the
markings fainter. Beneath light yellowish-brown, streaked and spotted
everywhere, excepting upon the throat and abdomen, with dusky brown,
of a much lighter and duller cast than in the adult. ‘From a specimen in
my collection shot at Cambridge, Mass., June 24, 1872.

67. Junco hyemalis.

First plumage: male. Upper parts dark brown, everywhere suffused
with ashy, but most appreciably so upon the top and sides of head ; every
feather marked obscurely with dull black. Greater and middle coverts
tipped with reddish-brown, producing two rather indistinct wing-bands.
Throat, and breast anteriorly, ferruginous-ashy, nearly obscured by
streakings of dull black. Rest of under parts dull ashy-white, with a
faint buffy tinge, spotted everywhere excepting on the abdomen with
dusky. Crissum pale fulvous. From a specimen in my cabinet collected
at Upton, Me., August 25, 1874, Considerable variation is exhibited by
the series of specimens in first plumage before me. Some have the upper
parts dull reddish-brown, with the streakings but faintly indicated, and
scarcely any appreciable ashy either above or beneath. The first plumage
is worn by the young of this species for an unusually long time. ,

68. Spizella socialis.

First plumage: male. Above light reddish-brown, lighter and with an
ashy tinge on the nape and rump, every feather streaked centrally with
dark-brown. Superciliary line and a poorly defined median stripe upon
the crown pale fulvous. Beneath ashy-white, spotted and streaked every-
where, excepting on throat, anal region, and crissum, with dull black.
From a specimen in my collection shot at Cambridge, Mass., July 9, 1873.

69. Spizella pusilla.’

First plumage : male. Above olivaceous-ashy, the feathers of the inter-
scapular region with central streaks of dark brownish-chestnut. Crown,
occiput, and nape unmarked. Entire under parts, including sides of head,
light brownish-ashy, paler posteriorly. A broad band across the breast
of fine, faint, but distinct spots of reddish-brown. From a specimen in my
collection taken at Belmont, Mass., July 30, 1875. Young of this species
23

in first plumage are readily separable from those of S. socialis by the plain
crown and finer spottings of the under parts.

70. Zonotrichia albicollis.

First plumage: male. Above bright reddish-brown, darkest eupon the
crown, the feathers of the interscapular region with obscurely defined dark
brown centres. Superciliary stripe, and a poorly defined median stripe
upon the crown, brownish-white ; no decided yellow anterior to the
eye. Beneath brownish-white, with dusky streakings everywhere ex-
cepting upon the abdomen. From a specimen in my collection taken at
Upton, Me., July 30, 1874.

71. Zonotrichia leucophrys.

First plumage. Throat, breast, sides, and interscapular region streaked
thickly with dull black, most "broadly so on the back ; on the throat these
streaks are reduced to mere spots ; lateral stripes of crown dark brown ;
central stripe dirty white. Anal and abdominal region immaculate. Cris-
sum faintly spotted. Otherwise like adult. From specimen in the col-
lection of J. Murdoch, obtained by him at Labrador, July, 1876,

72. Chondestes grammica.

First plumage. Crown dark brown, faintly tinged with chestnut. A
median and two lateral stripes of pale brownish-yellow. Rest of upper
parts similar to the adult, but with the rump obscurely spotted, and the
streaking on the feathers of the interscapular region much broader. Lores
dull black. Beneath soiled white, thickly streaked everywhere, excepting
upon the abdomen, with dull black. From a specimen in my collection
obtained at Columbus, Ohio, by Dr. J. M. Wheaton.

73. Huspiza americana.

First plumage. Above pale fulvous, with broad markings of dark brown
upon the feathers of the interscapular region, and narrower fainter ones
of lighter brown upon the crown. Bend of wing, middle and greater cov-
erts, fulvous, Under parts delicate fawn-color, deepest upon the breast.
No markings beneath, excepting a faintly indicated line of dusky spots
upon thé sides of the breast. From a specimen in my cabinet collected
at Columbus, Ohio, by Dr. J. M. Wheaton. This bird is very young,
scarcely large enough to fly.

74. Cyanospiza cyanea.

First plumage: female. Above dark reddish-brown, slightly tinged
with oliye, a few of the feathers upon the interscapular region with very
obscure dusky central markings. Beneath pale reddish-brown, deepest
upon the abdominal and anal regions ; streaked distinctly on the sides
24

and across the breast: with dusky brown. From a specimen in my cabi-
net collected at Cambridge, Mass., July 15, 1872.

75. Pyrrhulozia sinuata.

First plumage: male. Above light ashy-brown, palest on crown and
nape: Two rather indistinct wing-bands of fulvous ashy. Crest similar
to that of adult, but of a lighter red; bill much darker than in adult.
Breast and sides brownish-ash with a few scattered feathers of faint crim-
son on the median line of the breast and abdomen. From a specimen in
my collection obtained by Dr. H, B. Butcher on the Rio Grande in Texas,
August 29, 1866. This specimen was moulting, and had already acquired
many feathers of the fall dress. The red feathers of the crest and under
parts would probably be wanting in very young birds.

76. Pipilo erythrophthalmus.

First plumage: male. Above dull reddish-olive, the feathers of the
interscapular region with dusky brown centres. Greater wing-coverts
and outer edges of two inner tertiaries, deep fulvous. Beneath pule red-
dish-brown, deepest upon sides and crissum, shading into brownish-white
upon the abdomen, thickly spotted and streaked everywhere (excepting
on a small space upon the abdomen) with dull black. From a specimen
in my collection shot in Cambridge, Mass., June 21, 1874. In a large
series of young in first plumage much individual variation occurs. Some
specimens are thickly and finely streaked beneath with dull chestnut in
place of black, while the upper parts are dull rufous ; others, taken during
the progress of the first moult, exhibit nearly every conceivable variation
of marking in reddish-brown, chestnut, white, and black.

77. Molothrus ater.

First plumage: female. Above olivaceous-brown, the primaries, secon-
daries, greater and middle coverts, and every feather upon the nape and
interscapular region, edged with light sugar-brown. Superciliary line
and entire under parts delicate brownish-yellow. The throat and lower
area of abdomen immaculate ; everywhere else thickly streaked with
purplish-drab. From a specimen in my cabinet taken at Cambridge,
Mass., August 4, 1875. A male in first plumage differs in being much
darker and more thickly streaked beneath. Specimens in process of
change into the autumnal plumage are curiously patched and marked
with the light brown of thé first plumage and the darker feathers of the
fall dress. All the remiges and rectrices are moulted with the rest of the
first plumage during the first moult.
25

78. Agelzeus pheeniceus,

First plumage: female. Above dark seal-brown : every feather of the
crown, nape, and interscapular region, with the greater and middle wing-
coverts, primaries, secondaries, and tertiaries, edged and tipped with
brownish-fulvous. Beneath light yellowish-brown, thickly and broadly
streaked everywhere with dull black. Sides of throat and head, including
a considerable space around the eye, bare skin (of a brownish orange-color
in the dried specimen), with a few scattering pin-feathers. From a speci-
men in my collection obtained at Cambridge, Mass., June 24,1872. Males
in first plumage before me differ but little from the individual above de-
scribed. All have the bare spaces on the sides of the throat, although
these are probably feathered before the first moult is begun. A male
in transitional dress (collected at Ipswich, Mass., July 15, 1874), with the
head fully feathered, has the throat dull brownish-yellow, with a strong
tinge of the same color on the breast. The wing and tail feathers are re-
newed during the first moult.

Autumnal plumage: young male. Crown dark brown, with a fain
rusty edging upon each feather ; nape brownish-yellow, with a rusty tinge,
finely spotted with dark brown ; interscapular region, and a broad outer
edging upon the secondaries and tertiaries, deep dull reddish-brown, each
feather having a broad V-shaped mark of dull black. Rump glossy black,
every feather edged with fulvous ashy ; shoulder dull red with black spot-
ting ; middle coverts fulvous ; greater coverts tipped with the same color.
Superciliary stripe brownish-yellow. A space anterior to and beneath the
eye dusky black. Entire under parts black, each feather upon the ab-
domen edged broadly with pale ashy, elsewhere with yellowish-brown.
The light edging of the feathers gives the under parts a conspicuously
scutellate appearance. From a specimen in my collection taken at Cam-
bridge, Mass., October 6, 1876. This plumage (although not to my knowl-
edge previously described by writers) is the characteristic one of the young
in autumn. Iam unable to state if the adult male retains his uniform
black coloring at all seasons. A remarkable variation from the typical
plumage is afforded by a fine adult male in my cabinet, which has a broad
crescentic patch of pale yellow tinged with rose-color upon the breast.
Nor is this specimen unique, for I have seen several others with a similar
but less conspicuous mark. It probably represents an exceptionally high
condition or phase of ornamentation, like the commoner one of scarlet or
yellow wing-markings, in the Scarlet Tanager (Pyranga rubra). Very old
females of A. phaniceus have the throat a delicate peach-color ; illustrated
by several specimens in my cabinet from Nantucket and Ipswich, Mass.

79. Icterus baltimore.
First plumage: Top of head, nape, and interscapular region brownish-
olive ; wing-bands pale fulvous ; rump, breast, anal region, and crissum
olivaceous-yellow ; throat dull yellow; abdomen pale buffy-yellow ;
26

patches of ash on the sides, From a specimen in my collection shot in
Cambridge, Mass., July 18, 1874. Autumnal adults have the orange-red
richer and clearer than in spring, and the wing-quills much more broadly
and conspicuously edged with white. Neither wing nor tail feathers are
changed during the first moult.

80. Scolecophagus ferrugineus.

Several young birds of both sexes shot at Upton, Me., August 5, 1873,
have apparently nearly completed the first moult ; but one, a male, has
the head still covered with the feathers of the first plumage, which are of
a uniform plumbeous color. All are moulting the wing and tail feathers.
In each specimen a worn central pair of rectrices projects about three
inches beyond the others, which are of a uniform length, and evidently
just sprouting. Other individuals seen at the same time were conspicu-
ously characterized in the same way, all presenting, when flying, the ap-
pearance of birds with long forked tails, the elongated central feathers
being slightly spread apart.

81. Quiscalus purpureus.

First plumage: male. Uniform dark plumbeous, darker above, lighter
and with a faint brownish edging on the feathers beneath. Sides of
throat and a large space around the eyes completely bare of feathers.
From a specimen in my collection obtained at Upton, Me., June 22, 1873.
Both wing and tail feathers are replaced during the first moult.

82. Tyrannus carolinensis.

First plumage: male. Above uniform dark sooty-brown, with a
scarcely appreciable lighter edging on the feathers of the nape. No con-
cealed red on the crown. Wing-bands yellowish-white. Breast soiled
white, with a band of ashy-white across the breast. From a specimen in
my collection shot at Upton, Me., July 24, 1872.

83. Sayornis fuscus.

First plumage: female. Crown and nape dark sooty-brown. Rest of
upper parts brownish-olive, shading into reddish-olive on the rump,
Wing-bands and tips of rectrices ferruginous ; secondaries edged with
yellowish-olive. Throat, breast, and sides olivaceous-drab, darkest on
sides of breast. Abdominal and anal regions soiled white, with a yellow-
ish tinge. From a specimen in my collection taken at Cambridge, Mass.,
July 13, 1874.

84, Contopus borealis.

First plumage: male. Above olivaceous-plumbeous, darkest upon the
crown ; wing-bands ferruginous ; secondaries edged with pale fulvous.
Sides of throat, breast, and body dark plumbeous, with a brownish tinge ;
central line from base of bill to crissum — partly interrupted upon the
breast by the encroachment of the darker color of the sides — strong
27

creamy-buff. Lower mandible black, with a limited area of brownish-
orange at the base. From a specimen in my collection shot at Rye
Beach, N. H., July 24, 1872. Autumnal specimens in my collection
have the lower mandible black, the under parts much more strongly
tinged with yellow than the adult, and the wing-coverts faintly tipped

with ferruginous.
85. Contopus virens.

First plumage: male. Above olive, with a brownish cast, the feathers
of the crown and interscapular region with a faint edging of pale fulvous,
those upon the nape having a much broader one of dull ash, producing a
well-defined band or collar. Wing-bands light reddish-brown. Beneath,
with sides of throat, breast, and body, light olivaceous-ash ; rest of under
parts pale sulphur-yellow. From a specimen in my collection taken at
Upton, Me., August 8, 1874. The young in autumnal plumage differ
from adults in having the wing-bands pale fulvous, the under parts of a
slightly deeper yellow.

86. Empidonazx acadicus.

First plumage. Above nearly pure olive, with indistinct narrow trans-
verse bands of darker. Wing-bands pale reddish-brown. Under parts
soiled yellowish-white, with an olivaceous cast on the sides of the breast.
From a specimen in my collection shot by Dr. J. M. Wheaton, at Colum-
bus, Ohio, June, 1876.

87. Empidonax pusillus trailli.

First plumage: male. Above olive-brown, the feathers of the crown
with darker centres. Wing-bands light reddish-brown. Throat, breast,
and sides ashy, tinged with olive upon the breast and sides. Abdomen,
anal region, and crissum pale sulphur-yellow. Distinguishable from £.
acadicus in first plumage by the darker color of the upper parts, especially
of the crown, and by the entire absence of the narrow transverse bands
upon the back: From a specimen in my collection shot at Upton, Me.,

July 21, 1874.
88. Empidonax minimus.

First plumage: male. Similar to the adult, but with a stronger olive
cast, and a faintly indicated collar of ashy-brown across the nape. Wing-
bands light reddish-brown. Beneath almost precisely similar to the adult,
with perhaps a slightly stronger yellowish cast upon the abdomen and
crissum. Distinguishable from. £. tratlli and E. acadicus in corresponding
stages by the decidedly paler and less yellowish under parts ; especially.
by the nearly clear ashy on the sides of the breast. From a specimen in
my collection taken at Cambridge, Mass., July 2, 1872. Other specimens
in first plumage before me differ little from the one above described, but
autumnal specimens, singularly enough, are much yellower below and
more olivaceous above.
28

89. Empidonax flaviventris.

First plumage: male. Above uniform yellowish-olive. Beneath dull
yellow, with a brownish cast, tinged strongly with olive upon the throat,
breast, and sides. Wing-bands brownish-yellow. Altogether very similar
in general appearance to the adult. From a specimen in my collection
shot at Upton, Me., August 4, 1874.

90. Chordeiles virginianus.

First plumage. Above dull black, irregularly marbled everywhere with
reddish fawn-color and pale rusty. All the feathers are tipped, edged, and
barred with the lighter colors, the black appearing for the most part in
subterminal spots or blotches. The primaries (which are but just sprout-
ing) are black, broadly tipped with pale rusty. Under parts clothed
thickly with fluffy whitish down, beneath which, on the breast and sides,
true feathers of a dull white barred with dark brown are beginning to
appear. From a specimen in the cabinet of Mr. N. C. Brown, taken at
Deering, Me., June 29, 1875. It seems probable that young of this species
— and perhaps of the whole family, like those of the Tetraonide and some
others — pass through a stage of plumage previous to the usual primal
one. The specimen above described is, strictly speaking, in process of
transition between the two, and still retains patches of the soft whitish
down which must have constituted its entire covering at an earlier period.

91. Coccyzus erythrophthalmus.

First plumage: female. Above lustrous plumbeous-ashy, feathers upon
the crown, nape, and anterior part of the back, narrowly tipped with pale
ashy ; those of the interscapular region and rump, together with the scap-
ulars and upper tail-coverts, more broadly so with ashy-white. Outer edges
of quills light rufous. Beneath delicate pearl-gray, lightest on the abdo-
men, slightly tinged with pale brownish-yellow on the throat and breast.
From a specimen in my collection shot in Lincoln, Mass., June 17, 1871.
Autumnal specimens (probably only the young birds) differ from spring
adults in having the naked skin around the eye yellow instead of red.

92, Picus villosus.*

First plumage: male. Forehead spotted thickly with white; crown dull
scarlet, each feather subterminally spotted with white; nuchal crescent

 

* As stated elsewhere, the young of most, if not all of the Woodpeckers,
regularly moult the wing and tail feathers with the rest of the first plumage
No exceptions to this rule occur among large series of the common North
American species examined, and it may probably be found to hold good among
all excepting, perhaps, some highly specialized groups. Another peculiar feature
in the early development of the species most thoroughly investigated, and one
which is perhaps common to all the members of this family, is the fact that a
29

entirely wanting. Rest of upper parts dull dead black, marked and
spotted with white as in the adult. Lores yellowish-white, maxillary line
very faintly indicated. Beneath soiled yellowish-white. From a speci-
men in my collection shot at Upton, Me., August 1, 1874. The first
plumage of this species is exceedingly evanescent. The scarlet patch
upon the crown is soon lost, the feathers dropping out one by one; a few
scattered ones, however, usually remain until the feathers of the nuchal
crescent have begun to appear.

A female in first plumage (Upton, Me., August 20, 1874) differs so
little from adults as scarcely to require a detailed description. The black.
of the upper parts, as in the male just described, is of a dead or plumbe-
ous cast. The crown is entirely unspotted. I have, however, seen speci-
mens which had the forehead spotted with white.

93. Picus villosus harrisi.

First plumage: male. Differs from the adult only in having the fore-
head spotted with white, and a.patch of scarlet covering the crown,
From a specimen in my cabinet collected by Mr. C. A. Allen at Nicasio,
Cal., June 8, 1875.

94, Picus pubescens.

First plumage: male. Forehead and nape thickly spotted with white
Crown deep scarlet ; no red on nape ; rest of upper parts marked as in the
adult, but the black duller. Beneath ashy-white, thickly streaked on the
sides of the breast and body with dusky; on the sides of the abdomen
these dusky markings assume the character of broad though poorly defined
transverse bars. From a specimen in my cabinet collected at Upton, Me.,
August 14,1874. Several other young males show a considerable amount
of variation in the character and extent of the dusky markings beneath.
In one or two the streaks are nearly continuous across the breast and abdo-
men. A very young male (Upton, August 1, 1874) has the forehead and
nape dull, unspotted black, and a decided greenish-yellow tinge to the
white both above and below.

First plumage: female. Forehead slightly spotted with white ; crown-
patch scarlet, exactly asinthe male. Napeunspotted. Beneath brownish-
white, barred obscurely upon the flanks and spotted continuously across
the breast with dusky. From a specimen in my collection obtained by
Mr. W. D. Scott, at Coalburgh, W. Va., July 25, 1872. Another speci-
men. before me (Upton, Me., August 13, 1874) has the forehead and occi-
put, with a narrow median line connecting them, thickly spotted with

 

certain proportion of the females in first plumage possess to a greater or less
degree the adornments which in more advanced stages are peculiar to the
males alone, and which are lost with the first moult. Marked examples of this
are afforded by young females of Colaples auratus, Picus pubescens, and others, of
which detailed descriptions are given in the text.
30

white, but no scarlet. Still a third, in the collection of Mr. C. J. May-
nard, has the crown irregularly patched with scarlet feathers. The sex of
all these specimens was determined by the most careful dissection.

95. Picoides arcticus.

First plumage: male. Similar to the adult, but with the yellow crown-
patch rather more restricted ; the black of the upper parts duller ; the
white beneath tinged with brownish, and the bars upon the sides dusky
instead of black. A few feathers upon the lower interscapular region are
spotted with white. From a specimen in my collection shot at Upton,
Me., July 31, 1874. Unfortunately no females in strictly first plumage
are available for comparison. A moulting specimen, however, which has
acquired most of the second or autumnal plumage (Upton, Me., August
10, 1874), shows a patch of thickly sprinkled yellow feathers upon the
crown, while another, taken as late as September 5, still retains several
similar feathers. There can be little doubt but that among a good series
of young females in first plumage many would be found to occur with
yellow crown-patches quite conspicuously developed. All among a large
number of adult females examined have the crown entirely plain.

96. Sphyrapicus varius.

First plumage: male. Crown dull yellowish-green obscurely tinged in
places with dusky-red ; nape and a broad stripe extending through and
behind the eye dull plumbeous-ash spotted with brownish-white ; rest of
upper parts like the adults, the white spots, however, tinged with pale
greenish-yellow. Throat dull yellowish-scarlet. Malar stripes meeting
below the throat-patch, mottled with dusky. Central line of abdomen
greenish-yellow ; rest of under parts dull greenish and olive, barred every-
where with dusky or dull black. From a specimen in my collection shot
at Upton, Me., August 10, 1874. .The amount of variation exhibited by a
large series of males in first plumage is considerable. In one or two there
is no red upon the throat ; in others that part is brownish-white with a
few scattered red feathers; many have the crown dull-brown, thickly
spotted with brownish-white.

First plumage: female. Crown very pale greenish-buff, each feather
narrowly tipped with brown ; feathers of-interscapular region dusky, with
transverse bands of yellowish-white ; rest of upper parts like the adult.
Throat brownish-white ; abdomen pale brownish-yellow ; breast and sides
dull brownish-olive, thickly barred with dusky. From a specimen in my
collection shot at Upton, Me., August 6, 1873.

The first plumage of this species is worn for a longer period than that
of any other bird with which I am acquainted. Some specimens taken as
late as October and November seem not to have fully perfected their first
moult, many of the earlier feathers being still retained. In this condition
they present a curiously patched appearance, and scarcely any two are
31

alike. Full justice has hardly been done by writers to the adult plumage
of this species. Among the males, it is true, only a comparatively small
amount of variation obtains, and the full dress is always acquired the first
spring. But the females in spring plumage differ to a degree which seems
almost endless. This mutation is, however, chiefly in relation to the color
and markings of the crown. Thus, out of thirteen females before me, all
collected in the breeding season, only six have the full patch of crimson
upon the crown. In one specimen the whole top of the head is spotted
thickly and evenly with brownish-white. Another exhibits two lateral
patches of brownish-orange which extend nearly to the occiput, while a
third has a few scarlet feathers upon the forehead. The remainder are
variously marked over the crown with mixed yellow and crimson. This
excessive variability is probably a purely individual tendency to aberration
from a given type, as several spring females not as yet through the
moult, and plainly shown by the remains of the previous plumage to
be birds entering upon their first breeding season, have fully developed
crown-patches of pure crimson.

97. Centurus carolinus.

First plumage » female. Crown dull ashy, each feather tipped broadly
with plumbeous ; nape with a narrow, inconspicuous collar of pale dull
brick-red. Rest of upper parts marked as in the adult, with, however, a
brownish tinge in the transverse white bands. Abdomen dull saffron ; rest
of under parts brownish-ashy, nearly every feather in a broad band across
the breast with a narrow, obscure shaft-streak * of purplish-brown. From
a specimen in my collection obtained by Mr. W. D. Scott, at Coalburgh,
W. Va., July 23, 1872.

98. Colaptes auratus.

First-plumage: male. Crown washed with dull red ; nuchal band dull
scarlet. Otherwise similar to the adult, but with the throat tinged with
ash and the spots upon the under parts dusky instead of black. From a
specimen in my collection taken at Cambridge, Mass., July 6, 1873.

The female in first plumage I have not seen, but two young females
before me, which have nearly perfected their autumnal plumage, have
each a well-defined mustache, —not black, however, as in the male of any
age, but of a dark plumbeous color. Upon raising the feathers, many of
them are found to be nearly black at their bases, and a few entirely black
ones appear. I have seen two other females, both young birds in imper-
fect autumnal’ dress, which had similar dark mustaches. It seems not
unlikely that many females of this species may in first plumage be marked
nearly like the males.

 

* Several Woodpeckers, unmarked beneath in maturer stages, show a tendency
to spots or streaks upon the sides and breast when in first plumage.
32
99, Cinclus mexicanus.

First plumage. Above clear plumbeous-ashy, not darker on the head
or neck ; primaries and secondaries tipped with white; greater wing-cov-
erts edged with pale rufous. Beneath pale whitish-fulvous, strongly tinged
with purplish brown on the crissum; throat immaculate ; rest of under
parts transversely barred with obscure plumbeous. Bill and fect (in the
dried specimen) brownish-yellow. From a specimen in my cabinet taken
by Mr. C. A. Allen in Blue Cafion, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Cal., June
10, 1878..

100. Lophophanes inornatus.

First plumage. Above similar to the adult, but with a decided brown-
ish tinge, especially on the interscapular regian. Beneath dull ashy-
white, only slightly darker upon the crissum and across the breast. From
a specimen in my collection taken by Mr. C. A. Allen at Oakdale, Cal.,
June 17, 1878.

101. Parus carolinensis.

First plumage: female. Similar to the adult, but with the black of the
crown and throat less glossy, the back more strongly tinged with olive,
and the sides of the body slightly washed with pinkish-salmon. Distin-
guishable from atricapillus of the same age by the deeper, more glossy black
of the crown and throat, by the absence of white margining on the second-
aries, and by the sharper defined and more convex posterior outline of the
black throat. From a specimen in my cabinet, collected at Mount Car-
mel, Ill., May 8, 1878. This bird, though apparently fully feathered, was
taken from a brood of five young that had not left the nest.

102. Helminthophaga celata lutescens.

Autumnal plumage: young. Above intense olive-green, brightest on
the rump, and obscured on the interscapular region by a washing of a
neutral tint. Beneath greenish-yellow, tinged with obscure olive on the
sides. No trace of rufous on the crown. From a specimen in my col-
lection taken by Mr. C. A. Allen at Nicasio, Cal., August 2, 1878. Mr.
Ridgway, in proposing the name obscura for a dark form of this species
from the Southern States, says (B. B. & R., Birds of N. Amer., Vol. I,
p. 202), that all the specimens before him from Georgia and Florida “ lack
any trace whatever of orange on the crown.” JI think his specimens must
all have been females or immature birds, as an adult male before me, col-
lected at St. Mary’s, Ga., April 7, 1877, has the crown patch of exception-
ally bright orange-rufous.

103. Myiodioctes pusillus pileolatus.

Autumnal plumage : young female (?). Similar to the adult, but with the
black pileum nearly obscured by a greenish-olive wash and the coloring
generally even more intense. From a specimen in my cabinet collected by
Mr. C. A. Allen at Nicasio, Cal., August 3, 1878. Another young bird
(Nicasio, Cal., August 1, 1876), which apparently still retains portions

af) efi, Acne offense o
33

104. Pocecetes gramineus.

First plumage: male. Above reddish-brown, the feathers everywhere
streaked with dark brown. Upon the nape and the anterior portion of
the back much whitish mottling appears, for the most part upon the mar-
gins of the feathers. Shoulder and wing anteriorly, nearly as in the adult.
Secondaries and all the rectrices except the outer pair (which are marked
with white like the adults), bright reddish-brown. Beneath ashy-white,
slightly tinged with brownish-yellow. Throat, breast, and sides thickly
and broadly streaked with brownish-black. Upon the sides of the chin
and throat these streaks are run together, forming a short but continuous
stripe. From a specimen in my collection obtained by Mr. N.C. Brown
at Portland, Me., July 26, 1877. :

105. Peucza ttificeps.

First plumage. Above pale brown-olive streaked with dull reddish-
brown, most thickly on the crown. Feathers of the interscapular region
with dark brown centres. Wing-bands pale fulvous. Secondaries edged
externally with reddish-brown. Beneath pale brownish-yellow, thickly
but finely streaked upon the breast and sides with dark reddish-brown.
Superciliary lines and sides of neck bright greenish-olive. Auriculars
dusky. Chin stripes dark brown. From a specimen (sex not ascertained)
in my cabinet collected by C. A. Allen at Nicasio, Cal., July 11, 1878.
Two others in first plumage collected at the same time and place are essen-
tially similar.

106. Euspiza americana.

Autumnal plumage: young. Crown, shoulder, and rump, with sides
of head and neck, light olive-brown, the centres of the feathers slightly
darker; a little concealed chestnut on the shoulders. Feathers of the
interscapular region with dull black centres and brownish-fulvous edges.
Wing-bands, with outer margins of wing-coverts and secondaries, dull
brownish-fulvous.  Superciliary line brownish-yellow, fading anteriorly
to brownish-white. Thioat, central area of the abdomen, and the crissum,
pale brownish-white. Sides of breast and body brownish-olive, with dark
brown streaking on the flanks. Breast dull reddish-orange, streaked with
dark brown, and washed with obscure ashy-white. From a specimen in
the collection of Dr. J. M. Wheaton obtained at Circleville, O., August,
se 107. Goniaphea melanocephala.

First plumage : male(?). Generally similar to the adult female, but
with the cinnamon of the under parts stronger; the sides of the throat
and body, with the breast, profusely spotted with dull black. Crown black,
with median stripe of brownish-yellow. Rest of upper parts brownish-
cinnamon, each feather centrally blotched with dull black. Wing-bands
and tips of secondaries yellowish or brownish-white. Superciliary line,
chin, and sides of the throat ashy-white. Throat, jugulum, and breast,
é 34

with sides of body and crissum, buffy-cinnamon, palest on the latter, and
profusely sprinkled with dull black tear-shaped spots on the sides of
throat, breast, and abdomen., May be distinguished from G. ludoviciana
of same age (which it generally resembles) by the bright ga~boge-yellow
axillars and under wing-coverts. From a specimen in my cabinet ob-
tained by Mr. Allen at Nicasio, Cal., June 26, 1878.

108. Pipilo fuscus crissalis.

First plumage: male. Wings and tail dark clove-brown, the wing-
bands reddish-fulvous, and the secondaries edged with rusty. Rump
bright reddish-brown. Rest of upper parts uniform dull reddish-brown.
Beneath light rufous, deepest on crissum, scarcely paler across the breast.
Pectoral region and sides anteriorly, faintly spotted with dark reddish-
brown. From a specimen in my cabinet taken by Mr. C. A. Allen at
Nicasio, Cal., July 2, 1878.

109. Dolichonyx oryzivorus.

First plumage. Top and sides of head, with the neck behind, buffy-cin-
namon, A post-ocular stripe and two lateral ones on the crown dark-
brown; a few of the feathers with lighter edgings. Rest of upper parts,
including the tips of the wing-coverts and the outer margins of the prima-
ries and secondaries, brownish-yellow. All the feathers of the interscapular
region with broad dark-brown centres. Under parts warm reddish-buff,
deepest on breast and throat. A band of faint dusky spots across the
breast, and a few nearly obsolete streaks along the sides. From a speci-
men in the Museum of Comparative Zodlogy, collected by Mr. C. J. May-
nard, at Newtonville, Mass., June 26, 1878. The autumnal plumage of
this species seems to be very early acquired.

110. Tyrannus verticalis.

First plumage: male. Above similar to the adult, but with the crown
patch entirely wanting, the ash-gray of that part washed with brown, and
the back uniform grayish-olive. The wing-coverts are also tipped with
brownish-fulvous and the secondaries margined with greenish-yellow. The
outer webs of the outer rectrices are yellowish-white. Throat ashy-white ;
rest of under parts similar to adult, with the yellow of a deeper shade and
extending higher up on the breast. From a specimen in my cabinet col-
lected by Mr. C. A. Allen at Nicasio, Cal., July 8, 1878.

111. Myiarchus cinerascens.

First plumage. Above olive-gray tinged with brown on the crown.
Wing-bands brownish-white. Outer edges of the primaries and most of
the secondaries chestnut-brown. Tail-feathers reddish-chestnut, with a
dull black longitudinal band next the shaft on both webs of the central
pair, and on the outer web of all the rest. Beneath similar to the adult,
the ashy on the breast perhaps a trifle deeper. From a specimen in my
cabinet taken bv Mr. C. A. Allen at Nicasio, Cal.. Aucust 26, 1878.
35

112. Sayornis nigricans.

First plumage: male. Head, and neck all around, sooty black, darker
than in the adult. Wing-bands and bend of wings rusty, the tips of the
primaries, secondaries, and rectrices, and the feathers of the interscapular
region, rump, and crissum, with the posterior margin of the black on the
breast, more or less strongly washed with brownish or rusty-fulvous.
Otherwise similar to the adult. From a specimen in my cabinet taken
by Mr. C. A, Allen at Nicasio, Cal., June 29, 1878.

113. Glaucidium passerinum californicum.

_ Autumnal plumage: young. Similar to adult male, but with the whole
top and sides of head and the neck behind ashy-plumbeous, tinged with
olive-brown, and entirely unspotted. The band across the throat also dif-
fers from that of the adult in being much darker, and the tail is conspicu-
ously tipped with white, and crossed by six bands of white spots. From
a specimen in my collection obtained by Mr, C. A. Allen at Nicasio, Cal.,
August 3, 1878. This bird was thought by Mr. Allen to be in first plu-
mage. Its feathering, however, is so perfect, and the coloring so nearly
like that of the adult, that I am inclined to consider it as in the second
or autumnal plumage. The iris was yellow; the bill pale green; the feet
greenish-yellow.

114, Ictinia mississippiensis.

Autumnal plumage: * young male. Head and neck ashy-white, each
feather centrally streaked with dark plumbeous. Rest of upper parts
dull"black, with a narrow terminal rusty edging upon most of the feath-
ers. Primaries and secondaries, with a few of the primary coverts, broadly
tipped with white, Lores and eyelids black, as in the adult. Cheeks ©
black, slightly streaked with white. Throat yellowish-white, with fine
longitudinal plumbeous pencillings. Rest of under parts deep rich sal-
mon, fading to yellowish-white on the abdomen, each feather with a me-
dial, longitudinal, ovate spot of chestnut, which in most cases is laterally
bordered by dark brown. Tail black, crossed beneath by three white
bands (formed by angular spots on the inner webs), with corresponding
ashy ones above, very faintly but more continuously defined. From a
specimen in my cabinet collected by Mr. G. H. Ragsdale at Gainesville,
Tex., September 5, 1878. A young female of apparently about the
same age as my bird, described by Mr. Ridgway (B. B. & R., Hist. N.
Am. Birds, Vol. II, p. 204), seems to differ in several important respects.

 

* It is possible that, like certain of the Owls, this species may pass through
two preparatory stages, viz. a downy one and a distinctive first plumage. In
this case the plumage above described would represent a first plumage cor-
responding with that of most Passerine birds. The better known members of
this family, however, change directly from their downy dress into the regular
autumnal plumage.
36

115. Tetrao canadensis,

Downy stage: chick about a week old. General ground-color buff-yel-
low. Central area of crown bright rufous, with a marginal lining of black.
A spot of black on the forehead and on each lore, with three nearly con-
fluent ones over the auriculars. Bump yellowish-rufous. Back and wings
fulvous, the primaries, secondaries, wing-coverts, and scapulars barred
with brownish-black, Under parts immaculate. From a specimen in my
collection obtained with the female parent at Upton, Me., June, 1873.

First plumage: female. Ground-color above bright reddish-brown, be-
coming reddish-chestnut on the crown. The feathers are marked every-
where with black blotches of angular outlines and irregular shapes.
Upon the neck and rump they form transverse bars: they are broadest
and most conspicuous on the scapulars, where they restrict the ground-
color to a narrow central lining along the shaft of the feathers, and a few
irregular outlying spots. Primaries and secondaries edged and tipped
with pale fulvous. ‘Tail crossed by eight distinct, continuous black bars.
Auriculars spotted with dusky black. Throat and abroad superciliary line
pale buff. (It should be stated that these parts are covered with what seems
to be the still unchanged feathering of the chick.) Breast and sides bright
rufous-orange, each feather with a pair of black spots on the outer webs.
Upon the breast these spots are small and nearly round, but along the sides
they become broader until about the anal region they form transverse
bars. Central, abdominal, and anal regions immaculate buffy-white.
From a specimen in my collection obtained at Upton, Me., July 28, 1874.
Among the series of young males before me there are none in strictly first
plumage. The moult begins early in August and proceeds very gradually,
a few of the feathers dropping out at a time, as they are replaced by the
more permanent fall plumage. The wing and tail feathers are invariably
moulted ; thus through the last half of August and nearly the whole of
Septeraber the plumage presents a curiously patched appearance. In this
condition the young male may be distinguished from the female by the
black feathers which begin to appear in patches on the breast. The sexes
are otherwise quite similar at this age. In both, the throat, cheeks, and
sides of the neck are profusely but rather finely spotted with black upon
a yellowish — in some examples ashy —white ground. This is unquestion-
ably a remnant of the first plumage, which in the young female previously
described had not replaced the down. The feathers upon the throat and
crown are apparently the last to go, as they are not replaced in any of the
specimens before me until the succeeding plumage is nearly complete.
Both sexes acquire their full plumage during October, and by the latter
part of that month, adults of either sex can only be distinguished with
the greatest difficulty from birds of the year.

116. gialitis meloda.

Autumnal plumage: female. Differs from the adult in having the black
frontal crescent entirely wanting, the feathers upon the crown and back
37

with ashy-brown ceicres, a broad white collar around the neck behind,
and the band across the breast brownish or ashy-plumbeons, instead of
black. From a specimen in my collection obtained at Nantucket, Mass.,
September 22,1875, Mr, Ridgway’s western variety of this species cannot
possibly be maintained, A large proportion of our New England Coast
specimens have the breast band continuous, and in several that I have
examined it is as broadly so as in the supposed variety circumcineta.

117. Philohela minor.

Downy stage: chick a few days old. General ground-color warm buff,
tinged above with ashy. Large areas of rich seal-brown occur upon the
crown, back, and sides of the breast, while spots, blotches, and angular
stripes of a lighter shade of the same color diversify most of the remaining
surface. The throat and central portions of the breast and abdomen are,
however, immaculate. From aspecimen in my collection taken af Lexing-
ton, Mass,, May, 1869.

First plumage: male, Ground-color above brownish-ashy; forehead
and broad band around the neck behind immaculate. Crown brownish-
black, crossed by two narrow transverse bands of fulyons. A few of the
scapulars and the feathers of the back generally, with very dark brown
centres. Chin brownish-yellow. Throat arid sides of neck brownish-ashy,
paler than that on the upper parts. Rest of the under surface yellowish-
rufous, palest on the breast and body anteriorly, much richer and redder on
the lower abdominal and anal regions. From a specimen in my cabinet
shot at Cambridge, Mass., July 3, 1872. The plumage above described is
the characteristic one of the young bird in summer. It is worn up to about
the middle of August, when the moult — which with this species is unusu-
ally protracted — takes place. -Adults and young moult about the same
time, and with both the wing and tail feathers are changed with the rest
of the plumage. Autumnal specimens are much more richly colored than
spring adults.

118. Rallus virginianus.

Dawny stage: chick about a week old. Entirely clothed in long, rather
coarse, glossy, or blue-black down. Bill nearly straight, .72 inches long,
yellowish at tip and base, crossed in the middle by a broad black band.
From two specimens in my cabinet collected by Mr, D. C. French, at Con-
cord, Mass., June, 1870.

First plumage: female. Top and sides of head, neck behind, back an-
teriorly, rump, breast, and sides, dull dead black. Interscapular region
black, with a few of the feathers margined with brownish-olive. Wing-
coverts and wings nearly as in adult, a little duller and darker perhaps.
Superciliary line obscure ashy. Throat ashy-white, finely spotted with
black. Central region of lower breast and abdomen, with a few of the
feathers on the sides, tinged with white. Anal region and crissum dull
reddish-chestnut. In my cabinet, from Cambridge, Mass., August, 1875.
38

Several other ‘specimens of corresponding ages agree closely with the one
above described. A male, however (Cambridge, August 9, 1875), differs
in having a faint reddish wash over the white on the breast and abdomen.

This species, as previously stated, passes through a regular first plumage,
which precedes the downy stage, and is in turn succeeded by the regular
autumnal plumage. The first moult occurs in the latter part of August.
The autumnal plumage is a little brighter than that of the adult in spring,
but does not otherwise materially differ.

119. Porzana carolina.

Downy stage: chick a few days old. Bill short, exceedingly depressed,
high at base, rapidly tapering, the tip deflected. The whole body densely
covered with dull black down, beyond which are produced abundant long,
glossy, black hair-like filaments. Upon the throat is a tuft of stiff, coarse,
bristle-like feathers of a bright orange-color. These are directed forward,
and give the bird a most singular appearance. From a specimen in my
cabinet collected at Cambridge, Mass., June 24,1874, This bird, although
the only specimen of the kind now at hand, is one of a large brood which
was attended by the female parent. Several of the others were distinctly
seen and closely examined at the time. All had a similar orange tuft
upon the throat.

Notwithstanding the ‘close relationship of this species to the preceding
one, I am inclined to think that it has no distinctive first plumage, and
that the down is worn until the feathers of the fall dress begin to appear.
Negative evidence tending to strengthen this belief is afforded by a good
number of specimens shot during the summer months. The autumnal
plumage is too well known to merit description. The plumage of the
adult varies but slightly at the different seasons.

SUPPLEMENTARY. — Tachycineta bicolor. In my remarks upon the
development of the plumage of young birds of this species (Vol. TII, No.
2, p. 63), I stated that the first plumage was worn “ much longer than in
most birds.” From investigation of material collected during the past
season, I find that the change takes place from about the middle to the
last of September. Six specimens shot at Concord, Mass., October 16,
1878, have all acquired the full autumnal dress. The young differ from
the adults only in having an exceedingly faint brownish-ashy wash on
the breast and throat, and also in the shade of the metallic lustre of the
back, which is of a greener and less steely cast. Both adults and young
possess the conspicuous white tipping on the secondaries.

Under the head of Coturniculus henslowi (Vol. II, No. 8, p. 118), Imade
the generalization that, “with the single exception of Chrysomitris tristis,
this is the only species of the Fringillida, so far as I am aware, in which
the young in first plumage are entirely. immaculate beneath.” That state-
39

ment I now find must be considerably modified. At the time of writing
it entirely escaped my notice that I had previously described a third un-
spotted species (Pinicola enucleator), and that still a fourth, namely,
Pyrrhuloxia sinuata, remarked upon in the same paper as in transitional
condition, was also plain. Mr. Ridgway has since informed me that the
following additional North American species are, in the first plumage,
entirely immaculate beneath: Hesperiphona vespertina, Chrysomitris psaltria,
Chrysomitris psaltria mexicana, Spizella atrigularis, Cardinalis virginianus,
Pipilo aberti, Pipilo fuscus mesoleucus, Pipilo fuscus albigula, Plectrophanes
nivalis, Leucosticte griseinucha, Goniaphea cerulea, Cyanospiza ciris.