PARASITIC WEAVERBIRDS 119 



of head white. Lores Black, the black sometimes extending in small 

 specks onto cheeks. 



Below: Chin White, sometimes with a black spot (better developed 

 in birds from the northern border of the equatorial forest than else- 

 where, but not constant). Throat, breast, abdomen, flanks, thighs, 

 and under tail-coverts whitish. Sides of throat Black, forming a 

 distinct gorget on either side. Bill red. Wings 64.5-75 mm. Tail 

 44-51.5 mm. Long median rectrices 235-340 mm. Culmen 9-10.5 

 mm. Tarsus 14.5-17 mm. 



Female: 1. Natal down is the same as in the male. 



2. Juvenal plumage is acquired by complete postnatal molt and is 

 the same as in the male. 



3. First winter plumage is acquired by a partial molt, and is the 

 same as in the male. 



4. First nuptial plumage is acquired by wear, and is the same as 

 in the male. The bill is reddish. 



5. Adult winter plumage is acquired by complete postnuptial molt, 

 and is similar to the young male's first nuptial plumage. The bill 

 is red. 



6. Adult nuptial plumage is acquired by wear. The bill changes 

 from red to dark brown. This plumage is similar to adult winter 

 plumage except that the bill is dark brown. The size is as in the male 

 (with, of course, no elongated median tail feathers). 



In the prenuptial molt the fom- long rectrices come in at about the 

 time that body molt commences. The crown molts first, and then 

 come the sides of the breasts to form the black gorgets of the breeding 

 plumage. The nuchal collar, the scapulars, and the lesser coverts 

 come next. The interscapulars, back, and rump are not molted, but 

 the brown edges wear off and leave the uniform black color. The 

 rectrices and remiges are not changed m the prenuptial molt. The 

 tertials apparently are not molted, but become black through the 

 wearing away of their brownish edges. The postjuvenal molt is 

 usually incomplete, the ju venal rectrices being retained in the first 

 nonbreeding plumage. 



The breeding plumage (in the male, at least) may be acquired a 

 considerable time before breeding commences. In South Africa, 

 where the pintails are late summer breeders (late November to 

 April), they come into nuptial dress in September and October, 

 although I saw some molting males as late as early December. Winter- 

 bottom (1942, p. 388) similarly noted the early assumption of breeding 

 plumage in Barotseland. In Zanzibar, Vaughan (1930, pp. 47-48) 

 found that the males acquire nuptial feathering in November and 

 retain it until June or July — more than half the year. Still, this 



