MERRILL'S PAURAQUE 203 



are barred and streaked with brown and buff. White throat-patch 

 smaller and barred sparingly with black and bnfF. In this immature 

 stage the sexes are not easily determined aside from the difference 

 in the white tail-patches; in the males the white on second feather 

 from outside is never less than 2.5 inches long, while in the females 

 the corresponding patch is about one inch in length." 



The above descriptions evidently refer to the juvenal, or first 

 plumage, which is largely replaced in summer, July and August, by 

 a first winter plumage. In this the contour plumage is much like 

 that of the adult, the spots on the crown and back being replaced 

 by streaks; but the juvenal wings and tail are retained; the sexes 

 are much alike in this plumage but can always be distinguished by 

 the amount of white in the tail. 



I have seen birds in this plumage in October, December, and 

 March, from which I infer that it is worn until the first postnuptial 

 molt the following summer. Mr. Sennett (1888) thought that "at 

 least two years must elapse before the perfect plumage is attained" ; 

 but it seems more likely that the first postnuptial molt produces a 

 plumage that is practically adult, except for some dusky mottling on 

 the tips and edges of the white tail feathers, and some buffy intru- 

 sion of the white wing patch, which may indicate that the full purity 

 of these white areas is not attained at the first postnuptial molt. 



Dickey and van Rossem (1938) say: "Young birds which have 

 assumed the postjuvenal plumage may be distinguished from adults 

 by the narrower, more pointed, and usually impurely colored tail 

 feathers and by the buffy edgings and mottlings on the tips of the 

 primaries. The juvenal primaries which are worn until the bird 

 enters the second fall (first annual) molt, are from 5 to 10 mm. 

 shorter than those of adults. Males, at least, breed the first spring 

 as shown by dissection of several specimens. The annual molt of 

 adults takes place in August and September." 



There are two distinct color phases in the adult plumage, a gray- 

 brown phase and a tawny phase, mainly recognizable in the colora- 

 tion of the upper surface. Kidgway (1914) says of the former, 

 "pileum, hindneck, and interscapular region grayish brown," and of 

 the tawny phase, "general coloration of upper parts much more 

 tawny or ochraceous, the general color of the pileum varying from 

 fawn color to mars brown or russet." 



Food. — Bendire (1895) says that "the food of Merrill's Parauque, 

 like that of the rest of the Caprimulgidae, consists mainly of night- 

 flying insects, such as moths, beetles, etc. The crop of a specimen 

 shot by Mr. H. P. Attwater, near Rockport, Texas, was filled with 

 fireflies, Photinus pyralis ?" 



