1896.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 147 



shows the wings beginning to molt as described above in the case of 

 the male. The adult plumages differ from those of the male in 

 intensity of coloration, being generally gray and brown, though some 

 Florida specimens are quite red. Much of the brown tint of the 

 lower surface in winter is lost by abrasion. 



Habia ludoviciana (Linn.). Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 



The Rose-breasted Grosbeak exhibits probably the most compli- 

 cated series of plumages of any of our smaller Xorth American 

 birds. Five regular plumages of the male and three of the female 

 are recognizable, while the great range of individual peculiarity in 

 the amount of change effected at a given molt produces many other 

 variations. 



I have treated the plumages and molts of this species at ranch 

 length and have referred to them in other parts of this paper. 

 As some of my deductions may not meet with universal endorse- 

 ment, it seems proper to state at the outset the nature of the material 

 at my disposal while writing the paper. This is as follows : First 

 plumage, 1 ; first plumage, molting, 2. Males in first winter, 12 ; 

 in first spring, 10 ; in first annual molt, 2 ; in second winter, 5 ; in 

 second spring molt, 2 ; in second spring, 12. Females in spring, 

 8 ; annual molt, 1 ; winter, 2. Besides this, I have examined the 

 entire series in the U. S. National Museum, the numbers of which I 

 have not recorded. 



Male. — There is in this species a complete annual molt and a 

 more or less complete molt of the body feathers in early spring, 

 generally including a molt of the tail in the first season. Much 

 abrasion occurs between these two molts and in feathers not molted 

 in the spring it continues until the next annual molt. The 

 recognizable plumages are as follows : 



First Plumage [30,236, Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. July 1, 1892. 

 Beaverkill, N. Y.]. 



Beneath white. Above, head dull black, with buflTy superciliary 

 and median stripes, all meeting on the hind neck. Rest of upper 

 surface olive-brown, mottled with blackish-brown. Wing and tail 

 (about half grown) olive-brown with spots and bands buffy-white. 



First Plumage Molting [31,924, A. N. S. Phila. July 6, 1891. 

 E. Hartford, Conn.]. 



Similar to the above, but with wnngs and tail of full dimensions, 

 while the breast and abdominal tracts are newly molted buff feathers 

 with dark centers. The head and throat are also beginning to 

 change to the following plumage. 



