250 DWIGHT 



Helminthophila peregrina (Wils.). TENNESSEE WARBLER 



1. NATAL DOWN. No specimen seen. 



2. JUVENAL PLUMAGE acquired by a complete postnatal moult. 



Similar to H. ruficapilla but lacking the brownish cast and with a faint dusky trans- 

 ocular stripe. Above dull grayish olive-green, the rump brighter. Wings and 

 tail clove-brown, the primaries whitish edged, the secondaries tertiaries and 

 wing coverts greenish edged with two yellowish white wing bands. Below 

 grayish buff rapidly fading when older to a greenish gray ; abdomen and cris- 

 sum pale straw-yellow. Trace of dusky transocular streak. Bill and feet 

 pinkish buff, dusky when older. 



3. FIRST WINTER PLUMAGE acquired by a partial postjuvenal 

 moult, beginning about the middle of July in eastern Canada, 

 which involves the body plumage and the wing coverts, but not 

 the rest of the wings nor the tail, young and old becoming 

 practically indistinguishable. 



Resembles the previous plumage. Above, bright olive-green, gray tinged on the 

 pileum. Below, olive-yellow darker on the flanks, the abdomen and crissum 

 white. Superciliary line and orbital ring buff. Transocular streak dull black. 



4. FIRST NUPTIAL PLUMAGE acquired by a partial prenuptial 

 moult which involves chiefly the head, chin and throat. The 

 ashy gray cap is acquired, the chin, throat and superciliary line 

 become white, the throat is tinged with cream-buff and the 

 transocular streak black. The yellow tints of the feathers re- 

 tained below are lost by wear. 



5. ADULT WINTER PLUMAGE acquired by a complete post- 

 nuptial moult in July. Practically indistinguishable from first 

 winter, but somewhat grayer above and whiter below. 



6. ADULT NUPTIAL PLUMAGE acquired evidently by a partial 

 prenuptial moult as in the young bird. A specimen (Am. Mus., 

 No. 39688) from Tehuantepec, Mexico, January I4th, shows 

 new growth of feathers about the head. 



Female. The plumages and moults correspond to those of 

 the male. The sexes are alike in Juvenal plumage. In first 

 winter plumage differs from the male in having the lower parts 

 more washed with olive-green. The prenuptial moult is less 

 extensive and the crown never becomes, even in later plumages, 

 as gray as that of the male, but always has a brown or green- 

 ish tinge. 



