PLUMAGE. 



Individual Variation. I will first attempt the description 

 of a typical spring specimen, collected April 20th, '98, 'in 

 Chester county, Penn'a. Interscapular region, sepia ; Scapu- 

 lars, wing coverts and exposed parts of secondaries, hair 

 brown ; and the whole barred with deep brown, almost black. 

 Rump white, upper tail coverts white, marked with black. 

 Tail feathers glossy black above, the basal portion of all but 

 the central shafts, chrome yellow ; under surface wax 5^ellow, 

 tipped with black. Primaries and secondaries above, dark- 

 brown ; under surface with chrome yellow shafts and wax yel- 

 low vanes — with the following exceptions : beginning on a line 

 near the base of the first primar}- and running diagonall}' to 

 the tip of the first secondary, a deep edging of light chrome 

 yellow extends to the body, and from the same line out to tip 

 of wing an edging of dark-brown, heaviest at the tips, encir- 

 cles the primaries. Bend of wing pale-yellow, spotted with 

 black. Top of head, sides and back of neck, ashy-gray. 

 Scarlet-vermillion crescent on back of head, and a broad black 

 crescent across the breast. Sides of the head, chin, throat and 

 forebreast, fawn color. Remainder of under parts dull white, 

 with circular spots of black on each feather, becoming cordite 

 on flanks and anal region. Sides and flanks washed with a 

 pale fawn-cinnamon. Bill dead brown-black. Toes and tarsi 

 plumbeous. Iris brownish. Individual variation is ver)" 

 great, particularly in the upper plumage. The back or inter- 

 scapular region, runs through bi.stre, sepia, olive and hair 

 brown to drab - grey in different specimens, sepia being the 

 most common ; my only example of drab-gray coming from 

 Georgia, where we are led to expect only the darkest birds. 

 The scapulars, wing-coverts and exposed secondaries are 

 U-suall}' a shade lighter, often as light as broccoli - brown ; 

 the bars vary only in width. The top of the head is 

 occasionally wa.shed with umber or tawny, and the nuchal 



