LIFE HISTORY OF THE QUETZAL—SKUTCH 285 
reared by its father. In this instance, I saw no evidence of gradually 
waning interest on the part of the mother; it seemed that she met 
some accident. 
THE JUVENAL PLUMAGHD 
The course of feathering of the nestling quetzals and their partial 
change in color during their final week in the nest was most interesting. 
When we last glimpsed them, they were 2 weeks old and fairly well 
clothed, except for their heads, so long as they kept their wings folded ; 
this they did habitually at this age. Their upper plumage was then 
generally of a dull blackish color, relieved only by the buffy spots on 
the wing coverts which had become evident a few days earlier. But 
from the age of 2 weeks onward, green became increasingly evident 
in their plumage. This change in coloration was accomplished by 
the overlaying of the dull early plumage by brighter feathers of 
subsequent development. 
The feathers of the anterior part of the dorsal tract lagged far 
behind those of the posterior portion of the same tract. Long after 
the latter had broken from their sheaths and spread over the surround- 
ing bare skin, the anterior feathers of this tract remained tightly 
enclosed. Only when the young quetzals were 16 days of age did the 
tips of these feathers of tardy development begin to peep forth from 
the ends of their sheaths. They were golden green in striking contrast 
to the plumage that surrounded them. At the age of 18 days, green- 
tipped feathers were becoming evident among the scapulars, long 
after the blackish feathers in the same region had expanded. Green 
tips then began to push forth from the sheaths on the sides of the neck. 
A little later, the two green central tail coverts first became evident. 
Only on the nestlings’ twenty-third day did I notice that green feather- 
tips were emerging from the lateral sheaths of the posterior half of 
the middorsal tract, a full 2 weeks after the neighboring, centrally 
located, blackish feathers had begun to expand. Green feathers were 
also just beginning to appear on the foreneck. Whereas the blackish 
contour feathers of early development were loose and fluffy, the 
green-tipped feathers of tardy appearance had firmer, more cohesive 
webs. The new feathers on the center of the back were a beautiful 
golden green; but their concealed basal portions were blackish, like 
the whole length of the early down feathers. . 
Thus, at the time of their departure from the nest, the young quetzals 
wore a motley garb, blackish, brown, buff, and green, but with the last- 
named color giving promise soon to overshadow all the others. The 
crown was dark brown, the hind part of the head brown of a lighter 
shade. There were dull green feathers on the lores and around the 
eyes. The sides of the neck and upper back were golden green. The 
