220 DwiGHT, Sequence of Plumages. \juU 



stage it represents, and may not be confused with the ' first 

 winter ' and the ' first nuptial ' plumages, which seem to be fitting 

 antitheses to 'adult winter' and 'adult nuptial.' At all events, 

 juvenal marks a second stage, which is ill suited by the adjective 

 ' first.' It is doffed by a postjuvenal molt. 



3. First Winter Plumage. In this third stage feathers of adult 

 structure are first assumed, the wings and tail of the juvenal 

 plumage being retained in the majority of our species. It is the 

 ' autumnal ' plumage. 



4. First Nuptial Plumage. This is the breeding dress of young 

 or ' immature ' birds and it may be merely the first winter plumage 

 plus wear, or it may be wholly or in part acquired by a prenuptial 

 molt which very rarely includes the flight-feathers, although the 

 tail may be renewed when the wings are not. 



5. Adult (or Second) Winter Plumage. A complete molt 

 always follows the breeding season and distinctions between 

 young and old birds usually vanish at this time, unless they have 

 done so earlier. In most species, the differences between first 

 and second (adult) winter plumages are inconsiderable, in some 

 the plumage differs widely and several molts occur before the 

 young bird acquires full adult dress. 



6. Adult (or Second) Nuptial Plumage. This may be acquired 

 every year in exactly the same way as the first nuptial, but there 

 are some species that, after one prenuptial molt, undergo only the 

 postnuptial in succeeding years. 



There are many species in which these six plumages or stages 

 may be clearly recognized,— usually less than six can be made 

 out, and very rarely more. ' Third Winter ' and ' Third Nuptial ' 

 will indicate later plumages, but ' adult ' may naturally be substi- 

 tuted as soon as differences between young and old are obliterated. 



My scheme, with proper modifications for certain groups of 

 birds, will apply to all North American species, and, with a clear 

 understanding of the process of molt, will explain the puzzling 

 combinations of plumage that are as yet unsolved. 



