ic6 DwiGHT, Variations of the American Goldfinch. \_P^x 



A few specimens of palltdiis, chiefly females, do not permit of 

 very definite conclusions. 



4. First Nuptial Phnnagc. — • In tristis the prenuptial moult of 

 males is generally completed early in May, being confined to the 

 body feathers. The new plumage is canary-yellow with a black 

 cap. The wings and tail are left over from the Juvenal stage, 

 while a few tail-coverts, abdominal and crural feathers, together 

 with the lesser wing-coverts (sometimes however renewed at this 

 moult), remain of the first winter dress. Thus, the first nuptial 

 is really made up of parts of three plumages. It is worn four or 

 five months and only towards the end of this period do the rav- 

 ages of feather disintegration or abrasion become very marked. 

 The edgings of the juvenal feathers gradually disappear leaving 

 the wings and tail black except for the white tips of the second- 

 aries. The remiges and rectrices themselves become moje or less 

 ragged ; those of young birds being less resistant to wear than 

 those of adults. The tables of measurements show that wings 

 and tail through a year's wear lose about 3% or 4% in their length. 

 As the actual breeding season, in July and August, advances, the 

 yellow plumage acquires a greenish or citron-yellow tint, due in 

 part apparently to the exposure of some of the grayish basal por- 

 tions of the feathers. The yellow itself fades little if any. 



In the female of tristis the prenuptial moult is not as extensive 

 as in the male, less often extending to the abdomen and rump, 

 and occurring a few days later in the spring. There is no black 

 cap, and the lower parts, with sides of head and rump, are citron- 

 yellow, brownish tinged on the sides, and becoming a brown 

 tinged olive-green on the back. 



The prenuptial moult of salicamans differs from that of tristis 

 in two important particulars. In the first place, it occurs earlier 

 by fully a mouth or more, and in the second, it is on an average 

 much less extensive. As a result of the limited moult males often 

 retain the brownish feathers of the winter dress, at points where 

 they are completely renewed by yellow ones in tristis, while fe- 

 males retain many more old feathers than do the males. Conse- 

 quently the yellow of males is obscured, especially on the nape, 

 scapulars, rump and flanks, by the mixture of old and new feathers 

 that give a dark or greenish effect, while in females the much 



