318 PROCEEDIIS'GS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.84 



From the black nestling plumage the young bird molts completely 

 into the juvenal plumage, the neossoptile feathers bemg borne on the 

 end of the mesop tiles until worn off, this occurring while the bird is 

 still growing, but these fragile down feathers soon drop off and dis- 

 appear. This nestling plumage may be observed from early in April 

 to late in August, according to local conditions, and the molt from this 

 plumage takes place from about May to September, being completed 

 from July to late in September, 



From the juvenal plumage the bird molts into the first autumn 

 plumage by a feather change practically continuous from the downy 

 stage. By the time the bird's bill, feet, wings, and tail are fully 

 grown, v,-hich is accomplished som.etime between late August and 

 early October, part of the juvenal plumage is in molt; and by the time 

 the wings and tail are fulh'' grown a portion of the juvenal plumage 

 has already disappeared. The first autumn plumage is thence com- 

 pleted sometime between late August and November, by a molt of all 

 the feathers, except those of the wings and tail, which are still those 

 of the juvenal plumage. 



Adults molt but once each year, sometime between May and 

 October, occasionally even beginning in mid-April or extending occa- 

 sionally to late December, or even to Januar}^, and there are specimens 

 showing slight evidence of molt on February 2. The contour feathers 

 begin molting first, and the quills during the process of tliis change. 

 Seasonal diff'erences in the clapper rails consist in the paling of all the 

 colors of the plumage, both above and below, until they become in 

 summer very much bleached. On account of the character of the 

 habitat of this species the feathers also often become very much 

 tattered by friction against the grass. The general color of the back 

 appears sometimes very dark when the black-centered feathers lose 

 their edges by wear. 



Individual variation in this species, particularly in color, is on most 

 of the plumage areas very great. The chin and upper throat vary 

 from pure white to distinctly buff; the width of the white bars on the 

 flanks is also variable; as is the color of the flanks, depth of the cinna- 

 mon of the breast and of the other lower parts, and likewise the color 

 of the upper surface. So conspicuous are these differences that they 

 obviously represent color phases. These phases are much more 

 evident in some of the subspecies than in others, being practically 

 absent in some like Rallus longirostris corrius and very highly devel- 

 oped in such forms as Rallus longirostris saturatus and Rallus longi- 

 rostris waynei. In Rallus longirostris saturatus, for instance, there are 

 at least five more or less well-defined color phases that are in no degree 

 due to age, sex, or adventitious condition of plumage, while between 

 these there are all degrees of intermediates. These phases may be 

 briefly described as follows: 



