Vol.XT Trumbull on the Scoters. T 73 



1893 J 



blacker, or nearer and nearer in appearance to that of the adult, 

 but passes through lighter, less uniform, more and more vane- 

 gated stages (B and C),and even after steadying down to more 

 simple, more readily comprehended methods of advance (D, E 

 and F), certain portions continue to progress in the same manner 

 as before Note the description of those males -shot Oct. 23 

 and 27" which, though placed under E, are intermediate between 

 E and F; the lower plumage, it will be seen, is lighter than 111 

 E proper, from which the birds are emerging, and lighter still 

 t J n the phase F which they are entering. Mark also the con- 

 spicuously liaht forehead and lores of one of those nearly all black, 

 SIL; males F, and the scattering decks of white on the 

 still more fully perfected drakes "shot Oct. 18 and 21. 



And not in the plumage alone is this uneven course pursued, 

 the coloration of the male's feet is advanced in a similar manner 

 The outer side of the tarsi and toes, which are at first (A) 

 chocolate color, change to what I describe under E as "between 

 rose pink and peach blossom pink," prior to taking on the less 

 light and less bright "wine purple" of maturity. hough I have 

 used only the male bird in this illustration, the plumage of the 

 female is developed in a like manner. 



One reason, perhaps, why the bill of the adult female has 

 always been described as wholly dusky, that no mention has been 

 m ade of the pink patch at the side of the bill, etc, is that such 

 specimens have been commonly regarded as immature males 

 whose beaks were just beginning to show the shape and coloi of 

 maturity. Another reason (furnishing a better excuse) is that 

 comparatively few fully adult birds are secured. A very large 

 majority of the males and females that are shot are immature 

 The young are not only far more numerous, but they are decidedh 

 less wary, and when hit are oftener killed. 



That immaturity has been commonly mistaken for maturity is 

 evinced by most of the descriptions. I copy a few suggestive 

 bits from some of the attempts which have been made to describe 

 the adult female's plumage. "Forehead and cheeks white; 

 under the eye dull brownish; behind that, a large oval spot of 

 white, . . • belly brownish white" {Wilson). "Two wh.tish 

 ' spots on each side of the head, one near the base of the upper 

 mandible, the other behind the eye" (Audubon). Other and 



