ocean tag Dwicut, Moult of Quails and Grouse. 157 
white remiges and their coverts are always retained and often 
much of the rest of the wing plumage, the median rows of coverts 
being the ones renewed if any are. The tail-coverts may be 
renewed, but the fourteen black rectrices remain. More than fifty 
specimens, chiefly in the U. S. Nat. Mus., illustrate the acquisition 
of this plumage, by growth of new feathers, during April, May and 
June, some still sprouting in July even when those of the next 
stage have begun to appear. It is not easy to tell old birds from 
young. The early appearance of new feathers is shown by the 
following specimens: U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 98034, g, Norway, 
Marehirrsin) No: 93059,. 6; Alaska, April’ rz; No. "7aen7-m ar 
May 1, Alaska; No. 93146, g, Alaska, May 21; No. 46082, 9, 
Alaska, May 9, and others too numerous to mention. There are 
many June birds and of these may be mentioned two specimens 
(Amer. Mus. No. 26174, ¢@, Labrador, June 2, and No. 26170, 
?, Labrador, June 8) which from their plumage appear to be 
year old birds and are still acquiring new feathers at a number 
of points although fairly clothed above with the nuptial dress, 
which has extended to the inner members of the remiges and the 
median coverts. 
Second or Adult Winter Plumage (preliminary) .— Even before 
the nuptial dress is fully acquired the postnuptial moult sets in, 
beginning a little prior to the postjuvenal and resulting in an 
intermediate plumage partly white and partly reddish brown 
which may hardly be told from that of young birds at the same 
season. It should be observed that the moult of the remiges now 
includes the two distal primaries which are retained in young 
birds. Adults, however, seem to be somewhat grayer with finer 
mottling or vermiculation upon feathers of the type shown by 
Plate I, Figs. 2, 3 and ro, those of the throat being of a deeper 
red-brown with less barring than those of young birds. Practi- 
cally young and old, both males and females, are all indistin- 
guishable except by inconstant differences when clothed by the 
preliminary winter dress, but their age and sex may usually be 
told by the left over tell-tale feathers of an earlier plumage. 
Several Labrador birds (Amer. Mus. No. 26167, ¢, July 15, No. 
26168, 1g), july 22, No: 26171, 2 july 245 -and™ No. °26172,'- 9, 
July 15) show the postnuptial moult beginning early in July, as 
