1896.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. . 143 



appearance as characterizes most birds in July or August. In 

 April occurs a complete molt of the body plumage, together with 

 the tertials and sometimes the rectrices ; a specimen taken April 16 at 

 Atlantic City, N. J., shows the new tail about half grown. After the 

 completion of this spring molt the birds are indistinguishable, except 

 upon close examination of the wing feathers, from October spec- 

 imens. The feathers soon begin to show the effects of abrasion again 

 and by August, just previous to the annual molt, the birds present 

 about as dilapidated an appearance as can be found among any of 

 our species. The wear and tear upon the plumage of this species is 

 doubtless due to its habit of living entirely among the coarse grass 

 and sedges of the salt marshes, which may also have something to do 

 with the unusual extent of the spring molt. The young birds gen- 

 erally, but, perhaps not always, renew the tail when the first body 

 plumage is molted at the end of summer. The remiges are not 

 renewed at this time. The series of specimens, upon which the study 

 of this species was based, consisted of upward of one hundred skins, 

 taken at -Atlantic City, N. J., during every month of the year by 

 Mr. I. Norris De Haven and myself 



Ammodramus maritimus (Wils.). Seaside Finch. 



Plumages, first, winter and nuptial. 



In this species the spring plumage differs from the winter plum- 

 age only by abrasion, there being but one molt a year. Not only 

 are the blending olive and brown tints of the fresh fall dress quite 

 worn away, but the whole plumage presents the appearance of hav- 

 ing been trimmed with a pair of scissors. It seems strange that in 

 this species there should be no spring molt whatever, while in its 

 nearest relative, the Sharp-tailed Finch, it should be so extensive. 



Zonotrichia albicollis (Gmel.). White-throated Sparrow. 



Male. — Five plumages may be distinguished, i. e., first, first winter, 

 first nuptial, adult winter, adult nuptial. The difference between 

 second and third, and fourth and fifth is often very slight, espe- 

 cially in the case of the latter two. After the change to the first 

 winter plumage the bird has a fairly well marked white throat, 

 but the black crown stripes are much mixed with brown and the 

 central stripe is quite dull. In spring a partial molt occurs, prac- 

 tically confined to the thi-oat and head. At this time many black 

 and pure white feathers appear in the crown, the yellow supercili- 

 aries receive bright fresh feathers and more pure white feathers are 

 acquired on the throat. The black stripes of the crown are, how- 



