378 Dwicut, Moult of North American Shore Birds. on 
April, are in fresh new plumage, indicative of recent moult, and 
some of them occasionally show ‘blood-feathers.’ One (Am. 
Mus. Nat. Hist. No. 34844, April 1, Brazil), with fresh remiges 
and rectrices and a sprinkling of half-grown body feathers, indi- 
cates the practical completion of the prenuptial moult before 
winter quarters have been abandoned. 
In this, the breeding plumage, males and females are usually 
to be distinguished, males being more extensively spotted on the 
white lower parts. The spots are subterminal, so that wear first 
removes the white tips, and later on much of the black which, 
late in the summer, assisted by fading, may nearly disappear 
from the throats, in some cases, as well shown by one of my birds 
(J. D. Jr., No. 3938, &, August 19, Quebec). The barring of the 
back in the nuptial dress is so heavy on each feather and so far 
removed from its apex, that it is only lost in” excessively worn 
specimens, as shown by another of my birds (J. D. Jr., No. 
ar71, "2 4» july 29, Quebec, 
s. Second or Adult Winter Plumage acquired by a complete 
postnuptial moult accomplished in August or September. 
Adults, as birds may now be called, either move south in the 
autumn before moulting or possibly take such good care of them- 
selves while moulting that few find their way into collections. 
Some reach Cuba (U.S. Nat. Mus. No. 23601, September 3) and 
Mexico (U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 57709, August 14) without moult, 
while others, taken far from their breeding grounds, show the 
postnuptial moult in progress, viz., U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 134832, 
August 28, San Clemente Island, California, still retains four old 
primaries and all of the tail except the middle pair of rectrices 
which are sprouting; Amer. Mus, Nat. Hist. No. 30863, August, 
Bolivia, which has five old primaries, the rest being new as well 
as the rectrices (except the outer pair) and the greater coverts; 
and two birds No. 71426, September 13, and No. 71428, Septem- 
ber 14, Colombia, showing extensive moult of the body plumage. 
The plumage acquired resembles closely the juvenal, under 
which the slight average differences have been noted, and wear 
soon fades and removes the buff edgings as in the young bird. 
6. Second or Adult Nuptial Plumage acquired by a prenuptial 
moult which undoubtedly includes the body-feathers, tertiaries, 
