226 DWIGHT 



smoke-gray with whitish edgings. The lines on the breast are 

 broader. Later plumages are alike but females show more 

 wear than males. 



Petrochelidon lunifrons (Say). CLIFF SWALLOW 



1. NATAL DOWN. No specimen seen. 



2 . JUVENAL PLUMAGE acquired by a complete postnatal moult. 



Above, including wings and tail clove-brown, the pileum and back greenish with 

 obscure metallic reflections, each feather edged with drab, a nuchal band 

 drab ; the whole rump and usually the forehead (on which are often scattered 

 a few white feathers), cinnamon. The tertiaries are broadly and some of the 

 wing coverts narrowly edged with cinnamon. Below, dull white, strongly 

 washed on the throat, sides, and crissum with vinaceous cinnamon ; the chin 

 and forepart of the throat showing a curious mixture of white, dull black and 

 cinnamon-rufous feathers, sometimes one color and sometimes the other pre- 

 dominating, the white perhaps entirely absent and replaced by black. Lores 

 and auriculars dull black. Feet dull sepia. Bill dull black. 



This plumage is worn for some time, part of the edgings being 

 lost and it is not replaced before the birds depart southward the 

 end of August or early in September. Several specimens from 

 Central America still retaining this plumage, are dated Oc- 

 tober 20th. 



3. FIRST WINTER PLUMAGE acquired probably by a complete 

 postjuvenal moult in the winter habitat so far as may be estimated 

 from the changes found in the plumage on the return of the 

 species in May. Wear is somewhat evident even in the wings 

 and tail although the resistant metallic feathers show little of it. 

 At all events the glossy blue of the head and back and the rich 

 chestnut of the chin and auriculars with the black throat spot 

 are acquired. The breast and throat feathers now have shaft 

 streaks and the cinnamon crescent on the forehead is con- 

 spicuous. 



4. FIRST NUPTIAL PLUMAGE acquired, in all probability, 

 wholly by wear. 



5. ADULT WINTER PLUMAGE acquired by a complete post- 

 nuptial moult after the species has departed south. Evidently 

 indistinguishable from the first winter dress. An adult female 

 (Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., No. 40264) in worn nuptial dress, taken 



