in Farious Species of North American Birds. 45 



crown, back, and sides of the breast, while spots, blotches, and angular 

 stripes of a lighter shade of the same color diversify most of the remaining 

 surface. The throat and central portions of the breast and abdomen are, 

 however, immaculate. From a specimen in my collection taken at Lexing- 

 ton, Mass., May, 1869. 



First plumage : male. Ground-color above brownish-ashy ; forehead 

 and broad band around the neck behind immaculate. Crown brownish- 

 black, crossed by two narrow transverse bands of fulvous. A few of the 

 scapulars and the feathers of the back generally, with very dark brown 

 centres. Chin brownish-yellow. Throat and sides of neck brownish-ashy, 

 paler than that on the upper parts. Rest of the under surface yellowish- 

 rufous, palest on the breast and body anteriorly, much richer and redder on 

 the lower abdominal and anal regions. From a specimen in my cabinet 

 shot at Cambridge, Mass., July 3, 1872. The plumage above described is 

 the characteristic one of the young bird in summer. It is worn up to about 

 the middle of August, when the moult — which with this species is unusu- 

 ally protracted — takes place. Adults and j'oung moult about the same 

 time, and with both the wing and tail feathers are changed with the rest 

 of the plumage. Autumnal specimens are much more richly colored than 



spring adults. 



118. Rallus virginianus. 



Downy stage : chick about a week old. Entirely clothed in long, rather 

 coarse, glossy, or blue-black down. Bill nearly straight, .72 inches long, 

 yellowish at tip and base, crossed in the middle by a broad black band. 

 From two specimens in my cabinet collected by Mr. D. C. French, at Con- 

 cord, Mass., June, 1870. 



First plumage : female. Top and sides of head, neck behind, back an- 

 teriorly, rump, breast, and sides, dull dead black. Interscapular region 

 black, with a few of the feathers margined with brownish-olive. Wing- 

 coverts and wings nearly as in adult, a little duller and darker perhaps. 

 Superciliary line obscure ashy. Throat ashy-white, finely spotted with 

 black. Central region of lower breast and abdomen, with a few of the 

 feathers on the sides, tinged with white. Anal region and crissum dull 

 reddish-chestnut. In my cabinet, from Cambridge, Mass., August, 1875. 

 Several other specimens of corresponding ages agree closely with the one 

 above described. A male, however (Cambridge, August 9, 1875), differs 

 in having a faint reddish wash over the white on the breast and abdomen. 



This species, as previously stated, passes through a regular first plumage, 

 which precedes the downy stage, and is in turn succeeded by the regular 

 autumnal plumage. The fu>t moult occurs in the latter part of August. 

 The autumnal plumage is a little brighter than that of the adult in spring, 

 but does not otherwise materially differ. 



