4 HOW TO NAME THE BIRDS 



only a single term is used in the summary, it applies 

 to both upper and under sides, as in the case of the 

 crow, whose summary is '< black." When the sum- 

 mary contains two terms, not separated by a dash, both 

 apply equally to upper and under sides. After the sum- 

 mary are the descriptive details: first, the length, in 

 inches, then the various specific points of color — above, 

 proceeding from bill to tail ; below, from throat to 

 rear. By this condensation, and the omission of many 

 points usually given in books, but perfectly useless to 

 the field-observer, the entire avifauna of the given area, 

 excepting the migrant water-fowl, has been described in 

 about a hundred pages. 



The description is that of the adult male in spring 

 plumage, which shows the most intense color and the 

 most characteristic markings. In fall his colors are often 

 faded, and certain markings absent. In many species 

 male and female are indistinguishable ; in some, as the 

 robin, with essentially the same coloring, the female is 

 duller, and in some the sexes are distinctly different ; 

 in the last case the female is also described. The male 

 usually attains full plumage in the second year, i.e., in 

 the first spring after he is hatched ; but rarely not un- 

 til the second spring, or even later. For a list of the 

 few species in which the sexes have little or no resem- 

 blance, see page 19. In these cases the female is often 

 recognizable by being in the company of the male. In 

 a few other species the female shows restricted mark- 

 ings, chiefly on head and neck. But such instances are 



