v ^'- x ] Fifth Supplement to tke A. 0. U. Check-List. 59 



to hear next fall from such as are willing to study the shells left 

 in and about deserted nests, and to watch the process wherever 

 they have the opportunity ; also the time required for the down 

 to burst forth from the enclosing sheath or envelope. I have 

 known this to cause a difference of opinion as to whether the 

 young of a certain bird were dark, slate-color or pure white, when 

 it was only a matter of the difference of some hours or days in 

 their age. The skin and cylindrical hairs were dark in this 

 case, but the down was white. Each was looking at the other 

 side of the traditional shield. 



[Plate II represents the Black Duck Group in the American Museum of 

 Natural History, New York City. The nest, young birds, and accom- 

 panying accessories were collected by Mr. Jenness Richardson, on Gard- 

 ener's Island, New York, May 9. 1S89, by whom also the group was 

 mounted at the Museum. This group is No. 46 of the Museum series of 

 bird groups prepared by Mr. Richardson. — Ed.] 



FIFTH SUPPLEMENT TO THE AMERICAN ORNITH- 

 OLOGISTS' UNION CHECK-LIST OF 

 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS, 



By order of the Council of the American Ornithologists' 

 Union the Committee on Classification and Nomenclature of 

 North American Birds has prepared the following report on the 

 species, subspecies, and changes of nomenclature proposed 

 during the year ending November, 1892, forming the Fifth Sup- 

 plement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-List. The 

 Committee met in Washington, Nov. 1S-19, 1892, with the fol- 

 lowing members present : Allen, Chapman, Coues, Merriam, and 

 Ridgway. 



The numbers at the left of the scientific names facilitate colla- 

 tion with the Check-List. The interpolated species and sub- 

 species are numbered in accordance with the provision made 



