PASSERINE BIRDS OF NEW YORK 289 



6. Adult Nuptial Plumage acquired by wear. The abra- 

 sion of the black plumage is in places so slight that there might 

 be some replacement by new feathers, but it is not apparent. 

 Fading is not obvious, except of the flight feathers. 



Female. — The plumages and moults correspond to those of 

 the male. First differs in first winter plumage which is browner, 

 the breast patches merely yellow tinged and the basal part of the 

 rectrices much paler yellow, this color usually absent from the 

 base of the primaries and reduced in extent on the secondaries. 

 Some specimens are much like males. The first nuptial plum- 

 age is acquired by a very limited, sometimes suppressed pre- 

 nuptial moult. The adult winter plumage is scarcely different 

 from the first winter, a little grayer on the back and the yellow 

 area on the wings greater. The adult nuptial plumage is ap- 

 parently the previous plumage plus wear. 



MOTACILLID^ 



The only species of Wagtail found in New York undergoes 

 a semiannual moult, the prenuptial being partial. It is a bird 

 which from its terrestrial habits suffers a good deal by wear. 



Anthus pensilvanicus (Lath.). American Pipit 



1. Natal Down. No specimen seen. 



2. Juvenal Plumage acquired by a complete postnatal moult. 



Above, hair-brown streaked with blacl<, the edgings cf the back pale grayish wood- 

 brown. Wings and tail clove-brown, edged chiefly with wood-brown, Isabella- 

 color on the greater coverts and tertiaries ; the outer pair of rectrices nearly all 

 white the next pair broadly tipped with it. Below, creamy buff, palest anteriorly, 

 streaked on the throat and breast rather broadly and on the sides faintly with 

 clove-brown. Indistinct superciliary line and orbital ring bufly white ; auricu- 

 lars wood-brown. Bill and feet clay-color in dried skin the upper mandible 

 brownish black. 



Description from an Alaskan bird. 



3. First Winter Plumage acquired by a partial postjuvenal 

 moult in August which involves the body plumage but not the 

 wings nor the tail, young and old becoming practically indis- 

 tinguishable. 



Annals N. Y. Ac.\d. Sci., XIII, Oct. iS, igoo — 19. 



