Vol. XVIII 

 1901 



"IDwight, Moults and Plumages of Gulls and Terns. ^^ 



4. Fi>-sf Nuptial Plumage acquired by a limited first prenuptial 

 moult in March, the renewal being over the same areas affected 

 by the postjuvenal. It is extremely difficult to obtain enough 

 specimens to show the limits of these two moults, which may 

 possibly represent but one. It may be that some birds moult 

 either at one period or the other and not at both, but at all events 

 moulting birds may be found both in spring and fall. Mottled 

 brown feathers and rarely gray ones are assumed at both times 

 and it seems proper to recognize two moults analogous to those 

 occurring in adults. Specimens have been reported as breeding 

 in Juvenal dress, but it is possible such birds have been in either 

 first or second nuptial plumages. 



5. Second Wifiter Plumage acquired by a complete postnuptial 

 moult, chiefly in August on the Atlantic coast. An immature 

 dress is assumed, the mantle being largely pearl gray but mixed 

 with mottled brownish feathers, especially on the wing-coverts. 

 The lower parts are largely white but much clouded with dusky 

 edgings. The white head, neck and rump are heavily streaked. 

 The tail is white heavily sprinkled centrally with dusky brown. 

 The secondaries are similarly mottled. The primaries are dull 

 black, sometimes with small white apical spots, the first usually 

 with traces of a subapical spot, sometimes with none. The 

 amount of individual variation seems to be within reasonable 

 limits, the average of which I have here indicated. 



6. Second Nuptial Plumage acquired by a limited second pre- 

 nuptial moult in March or April, the back getting new gray 

 feathers and the head and neck becoming white clouded a little 

 with brownish gray. The bill becomes yellow. These birds 

 unless closely examined would pass for adults. 



7. Third Winter Plumage acquired by a complete second post- 

 nuptial moult. A mantle wholly pearl gray is now assumed, the 

 lower parts and the tail becoming pure white. The customary 

 winter streaking of the head and neck is reduced. The primaries 

 are tipped with white, the first having a large white subapical 

 spot, and the second sometimes shows signs of one. The moult 

 is at its height about the first of September. 



8. Third Nuptial Plu!nage2iC(\\.mitd by a limited third prenuptial 

 moult, at its height in March. A pure white head, neck and breast 



