20 Brewster's Descriptions of the First Plumage 



From about the time of pairing in spring till early autumn this Tit- 

 mouse "wears a plumage which has been almost, if not entirely, ignored by 

 writers. The back is clear ashy without any brownish or olivaceous 

 washing except in a few specimens on the rump. The under parts are 

 white, with barely a trace of faintest salmon on the sides of the body ; while 

 the white margining on the remiges is much narrowed and on many of 

 the feathers replaced by ashy. It may be objected that this generally 

 paler condition is due to the wearing of the feathers consequent upon the 

 continual passing of the birds in and out of their nesting cavities, but not 

 all of the sjjecimens before me are in worn plumage ; one pair, taken May 

 12, 1876, being in remarkably perfect dress. At all events, whatever the 

 cause, this peculiar stage is so universally characteristic of all specimens 

 (at least, New England ones) taken at this season, that it certainly merits 

 a fuller recognition than it has up to this time received. Five specimens 

 examined, all collected in Massachusetts in May or June. 



12. Parus hudsonicus. 



First plumage : female. Above olivaceous-drab, becoming much darker 

 and more dusky on crown. Sides and anal region very pale brownish- 

 rusty. Otherwise like adult. From a specimen in my collection taken 

 at Upton, Me., August 25, 1873. This bird is, strictly speaking, in a 

 transitional stage, having already acquired many feathers of its fall dress. 

 It differs sufficiently, however, from the perfected condition of the autum- 

 nal plumage to merit descrijition under the above heading. 



13. Parus rufescens. 



First plumage : male. Pileum, nape, and throat dark sooty -brown ; 

 back dull chestnut, tinged with olive ; sides ashy, washed in places with 

 brownish-chestnut. Otherwise, like adult. From a specimen in my col- 

 lection obtained at Nicasio, Cal., by Mr. C. A. Allen, May 21, 1875. 



14. Sitta canadensis. 



First plumage : female. Above ashy with just a shade of blue ; 

 pileum dark ashy ; chin and throat dirty white ; rest of under parts 

 like spring adults, but with a fainter and more general suffusion of 

 rusty. From specimen in my collection taken at Upton, Me., July 31, 

 1874. In "History of Birds of North America" (Vol. I, p. 118) Mr. 

 Kidgway, in giving the specific characters of this species, says : " The 

 male has the chin white ; rest of under parts, brownish-rusty." Of 

 the female, " beneath paler, more of a muddy white." Now, if I under- 

 stand rightly by this that the breeding plumage of the adult is indicated, 

 I am confident that the description, so far as it relates to the male, is 

 incorrect. From the examination of a large series of specimens, collected 

 in every stage of plumage and at nearly all seasons, I am led to believe 

 that Mr. Ridg way's description is applicable only to the male in full 

 autumnal dress, — a mistake most easily committed when it is considered 



