1896.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 161 



age of the female which I do not regard as belonging to the regular 

 cycle of changes, but rather an abnormal tendency toward the 

 color pattern of the male. This differs from the normal female 

 plumage in having the head and forepart of the back, sides of neck, 

 and chin black, slightly edged with gray, the median crown stripe 

 being obsolete. Below white slightly tinged with yellow on the breast, 

 where are also a few narrow shaft streaks. The specimen described 

 was taken in Chester Co., Pa., May 5, 1888 (No. 1,957, Coll. W. 

 Stone). A similar one is in the U. S. Nat. Museum Collection. 



Passerina oyanea (Linn.). Indigo Bird. 



Male. — Four distinct plumages are recognizable in this species. 



First Plumage. 



Much like the following but distinguished by the different struct- 

 ure of the feathers. 



Plumage of First Winter. [No. 841, Coll. W. Sfone. Sept. 30, 

 1891. Chester Co., Pa.]. 



Reddish-brown above, with darker shaft lines on back, below 

 quite buff, brownish on breast, with distinct dark shaft lines. 



Breeding Plumage. 



Brilliant blue above and below, varying as described below. 



Winter Plumage of Adult. 



Reddish-brown above, shaft stripes obscure, rump feathers more 

 or less blue with brown tips below, tinged with brown, many feath- 

 ■ers with bluish bases, which give it a mottled appearance. Some 

 specimens have much blue on the bases of all the feathers above. 



The breeding plumage exhibits a great range of variation and 

 the most brilliant and perfect dress is certainly not acquired before 

 the second or third year. The primaries and secondaries are only 

 renewed at the annual molt, but the tertials and some of the rec- 

 trices are often molted in spring, when the brown body feathers are 

 lost and the blue plumage acquired. It is the irregularity in the 

 extent of this molt that causes the variety in the breeding plumage 

 of different individuals. Old brown tertials of the winter plumage 

 are frequently retained through the breeding season and also many 

 of the old coverts as well as brown patches or single feathers on 

 various parts of the body. The white belly of the winter plumage 

 also frequently escapes molt in the spring. Individual variation 

 in the extent of the molt is so great that the specimens cannot be 

 separated in definite groups. Fourteen spring and summer males 



