302 DwiGHT, Plumages of the Scoters. I July 



Oidemia perspicillata. 



Natal Doicn. I know of no specimen in collections. 



Jvvenal Plumage (Plate XXIX, Fig. 1) acquired by a complete 

 postnatal moult. Females are a little smaller, but in plumage the 

 sexes are alike, the color being browTi "«-ith two conspicuous white 

 patches or rounded spots on the side of the head. These vary in 

 size, sometimes nearly merging; the anterior is whiter and smaller, 

 and the posterior is also smaller than in deglandi and they tend to 

 become whiter with wear and fading. The absence of white on 

 the wing separates this species from deglandi, carbo and fusca and 

 the feathering of the bill is, of course, diagnostic. Birds in this 

 plumage much worn may be found late in the winter but as a rule 

 the growth of the first winter dress begins in October rather earlier 

 than in americana. 



1st Wiriter Plumage. (Plate XXIX, Figs. 2 and 3) acquired by a 

 partial postjuvenal moult the extent of which is variable. A few 

 black feathers at the corners of the mouth, along the margin of the 

 bill, and on the interramal space may begin to show by early 

 October (J. D., Jr., No. 34151, cf, Oct. 2). 



I have some specimens that are as far advanced in December 

 (J. D., Jr., No. 8045 cf , Dec. 6) as others are in March (J. D., Jr., 

 No. 7419 d^, INIarch 17) or even April, such birds having the head, 

 neck, fore-part of the body, the sides, scapular region and rump 

 black and a single white nuchal patch. Females are more back- 

 ward and more limited in their moult and the new feathers are 

 brown instead of black. The tail is renewed during the first •n-inter 

 and colors come gradually into the bill and feet of males. The 

 change in the shape of the bill is slower, a wrinkling of the black 

 bosses being the earliest sign, but the winter has gone before bills 

 and feet can be mistaken for those of the adult. The iris is brown 

 in young males, becoming yellow and finally white when the bird 

 is about a year old. 



It is of interest that young males acquire only the posterior or 

 nuchal, of the two triangular white areas that mark the head of the 

 adult. The area where the frontal patch is developed in the old 

 male is covered by black feathers in the yoimg bird. The two juve- 



