PASSERINE BIRDS OF NEW YORK 225 



lower breast and abdomen with narrow dusky shaft streaks. Bill and feet 

 brownish black. 



This plumage is worn a long time and is still retained when 

 the birds leave for the south early in September. 



3. FIRST WINTER PLUMAGE acquired probably by a complete 

 postjuvenal moult. Similar to the previous plumage but darker, 

 the throat browner while scattered patches of steel-blue feathers 

 are acquired. A specimen (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 1 22944, $ , Au- 

 gust 3d, Maryland), which from the date might be a year-old 

 bird, has partly renewed two proximal primaries, an outer rectrix 

 and some of the body plumage. 



4. FIRST NUPTIAL PLUMAGE acquired apparently by wear 

 alone. It is impossible to estimate just when the feathers of this 

 plumage are assumed, because all the Swallows show very little 

 wear owing to their habits and to the structure of their feathers. 

 The immature mixed blue and gray plumage is peculiar to the 

 first breeding season. 



5. ADULT WINTER PLUMAGE acquired by a complete post- 

 nuptial moult after the species has departed south. A specimen 

 in my collection (J. Dwight, Jr., No. 560, S , Connecticut, Au- 

 gust 1 6th) shows the proximal primary of each wing just sprout- 

 ing and a bird, perhaps P. s. hesperia (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 

 128306, cT, September I3th, Nicaragua) has renewed two proxi- 

 mal primaries and a few body feathers. The steel-blue plumage 

 is assumed and old and young become indistinguishable. A 

 white patch is exposed if the posterior feathers of the humeral 

 tracts be disarranged. 



6. ADULT NUPTIAL PLUMAGE acquired by wear which pro- 

 duces practically no effect on the previous dress even late in the 

 summer. Florida specimens of March I ith to I4th are in fresh 

 plumage but show no direct evidence of recent moult. 



Female. The female has similar plumages and moults, but 

 is always duller than the male, lacking most of the steel-blue 

 above and all of it below. In juvenal plumage the gray collar 

 is much browner than that of the adult female and the under 

 tail coverts are grayish white with dusky shaft streaks instead of 



ANNALS N. Y. ACAD. Sci., Oct. i, 1900 15. 



