128 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1896. 



late summer specimens, just previous to the annual molt, shows 

 that abrasion produces scarcely any effect in the Cuckoos. The 

 sexes are alike in molts and practically so in plumages. 



Family ALCEDINID^. 



Ceryle alcyon (Linn.). Belted Kingfisher. 



The Kingfisher presents several peculiarities in its molting and I 

 have not yet been enabled to examine sufficient material to satis- 

 factorily describe it. So far as my material goes I think the rufous 

 edgings to the breast band belong only to the bird of the year, as old 

 birds in the annual molt have the new feathers of the breast band 

 plain bluish slate or slightly edged with white. Whether the young 

 molt the flight feathers with the rest of their first plumage I cannot 

 say, but the wing feathers of the rufous tipped fall birds are very 

 fresh and perfect, whicli may be considered evidence that they do. 



That there is a partial molt in early spring is evidenced by the 

 fresh feathers in spring specimens which are in strong contrast to the 

 older worn plumage, especially on the pectoral band. 



The wing feathers of some spring birds are unusually bright with 

 the white tips scarcely worn and one example, (June, 1881, Palo 

 Alto Co., Iowa, No. 26,640, A. N. S.), has the remiges all of this 

 character, except the innermost pair of primaries and one of the 

 secondaries on the leftside, which are very much worn and abraded. 

 This may indicate a spring molt of the wings in some individuals 

 but in the majority it apparently does not occur. The peculiar 

 order of molt in the primaries has already been noticed. 



Family PICIDJE. 



The North American Woodpeckers,^" as already pointed out by 

 Mr. Brewster, (Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, 1878, p. 179), always molt 

 the wing and tail feathers along with the rest of the first plumage. 

 The molt of this plumage, especially on the head and breast, goes on 

 slowly and the birds start on their southward migration before it has 

 been entirely renewed. In some individuals indeed the molting is 

 not completed till well into the winter. 



Dryobates villosus (Linn.). Hairy Woodpecker. 



Male. — Three plumages, first, winter and nuptial. 



All plumages of this bird are very similar. There is no spring 

 molt apparent in any specimens examined and but little effect is 



16 



And probably all of the family. 



