44:6 



Key to Plate No. 29 Plate No. 29 - 



AUTUMN PLUMAGES 



(A) KED-BREASTED MERGANSER, adult male during autumn moult. 



(B) AMERICAN MERGANSER, adult male during autumn moult. 



(C) HOODED MERGANSER, adult male during autumn moult. 



(D) KING EIDER, adult male during autumn moult. 



(E) AMERICAN EIDER, adult male during autumn moult. 

 Note : During autumn moult the wing is as in winter plumage. 



EXPLANATION OF THE AUTUMN MOULT 



During autumn, the males of the ducks are moulting out of the "eclipse" 

 plumage, which closely resembles that of the female, into the full winter plumage 

 of the drake. A careful examination of the plumage characters will disclose some 

 indications of the male winter dress slight in the early autumn but progressively 

 increasing as the season advances. The full range of the moult will be best ap- 

 preciated if the plates showing the female plumage and that of the male in win- 

 ter are examind at the same time as this plate. 



Young males of the year follow much the same sequence of moult out of the 

 juvenile plumage (Avhich also resembles that of the female) and are similar to 

 adult males during the autumn moult, except for the wings, which differ as stated 

 in "Description" of Juvenile in the text. 



Consult "Specimen Identification" in the text, and section on "Identification 

 of a Specimen in Hand." 



Winter plumages: 



Red-breasted Merganser, Plate No. 28. 

 American Merganser, Plate No. 28. 

 Hooded Merganser, Plate No. 30. 

 American Eider, Plate No. 24. 

 King Eider, Plate No. 25. 



Text: Red-breasted Merganser, page 357; American Merganser, page 

 348 ; Hooded Merganser, page 343 ; American Eider, page 302 ; 

 King Eider, page 315. 



