144 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1896. 



ever, still mixed with brown posteriorly, for the first season at least. 

 Subsequently, whether at the following annual molt or later I cannot 

 say, the plumage of the head becomes still brighter, with the crown 

 stripes iet black reaching back on the neck while the white throat 

 is sharply defined against dark gray cheeks and breast. I do not 

 think there is any spring molt after the first year, but subse- 

 quent increase in the brightness of the markings takes place at the 

 annual molt. The bright markings when once attained are not lost 

 again, as some of the handsomest specimens examined are fall birds, 

 although it is possible that some birds never acquire the brightest 

 markings to which I have referred. Mr. W. E. D. Scott states that 

 some birds acquire the highly colored feathers immediately after 

 shedding the first plumage, judging the age of fall birds by osteologi- 

 cal characters. 



Female. — Apparently has no molt in spring, and though it attains 

 the yellow eye-brow and partly black crown stripes, it does not 

 approach the brilliancy of the old male. 



Zonotrichia leucophrys (Forst.). 'White-crowned Sparrt)w. 



Plumages, first, first winter, nuptial, adult winter. 



Besides the annual molt, a molt of the crown, tertials and many 

 of the breast and intescapular feathers occurs in spring. This is 

 very marked in the first spring when the brown and buff crown is 

 replaced by black and white. Whether it continues to the same 

 extent in subsequent seasons I cannot say positively, though the 

 appearance of spring specimens would indicate that some molt 

 always occurred at this season. The full plumage once attained is 

 not lost again, and spring and fall adults are hardly distinguish- 

 able. 



Spizella monticola (Gmel.). Tree Sparrow. 



Plumages, first, winter and nuptial. 



There is only one molt a year, though a few odd feathers are often 

 replaced during spring, probably when lost or damaged. Breeding 

 specimens show great abrasion, which brings the colors into much 

 stronger contrast, but this is not apparent until after April 1st, 

 so that there is scarcely any variation in specimens taken within the 

 winter habitat. 



Spizella socialis (Wils.). Chipping Sparrow. 



Plumages, first, winter and nuptial. 



When the young bird loses the spotted first plumage, at the end 

 of summer, it acquires a winter plumage practically identical with 



