84 DUCK SHOOTING. 



A very important point in connection with this sum- 

 mer plumage is that the annual molt of the flight feath- 

 ers does not begin until it has been fully acquired, and 

 that as soon as the new flight feathers have become 

 strong enough to be used, the dull plumage, as well as 

 the remainder of the old plumage, is lost, the molt of 

 the body feathers proceeding in the usual way. In other 

 words, this dull plumage lasts only during the period 

 while the birds are unable to fly, for, as is well under- 

 stood, ducks molt the quill feathers of their wings all at 

 once, and for a time lose the power of flight. Now at 

 such a time a dull plumage would naturally be useful in 

 rendering the bird inconspicuous, and thereby protect- 

 ing it, and Mr. Stone believes this to be the explanation 

 of this curious summer molt. He adds that the feath- 

 ers of this plumage are very poor and loosely con- 

 structed, like the "first" plumage of young birds, which 

 is only a temporary summer dress. 



Mr. Stone quotes European authors who have de- 

 scribed eider ducks of different species in this dress, but 

 have called them young males, evidently not appreciat- 

 ing the meaning of the change. He then goes on to 

 describe in detail this summer plumage in four species 

 of Pacific eiders and in the red-breasted merganser, 

 from which it appears that up to July the nuptial dress 

 of the male is usually retained, but that by the latter 

 part of August and in early September this "summer 

 molting plumage," as Mr. Stone calls it, is fully as- 

 sumed. 



