APR 22 1897 
TELE, AUIS: 
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ORNITHOLOGY. 
VOL. XIV. APRIL, 1897. NO. 2. 
THE SPRING PLUMAGE OF THE BOBOLINK, WITH 
REMARKS ON ‘COLOR-CHANGE’ AND 
[MOULTING? ! 
BY ARTHUR P. CHADBOURNE, M.D. 
Plate Ia. 
In a recent note ‘On the Spring Plumage of the Bobolink’? 
Dr. Allen has apparently overlooked a record (Skillen, Auk, XI, 
1894, p. 180), which shows that the change to breeding dress is 
not always accompanied by an increased feather-loss, nor in this 
case at least was new feather-growth evident. In short there 
seems to have been not even a ‘partial moult,’? and hence the 
individual feathers must have changed in color. 
My own experience with captive Bobolinks confirms the above 
statement ; but unfortunately of three Bobolinks kept during the 
winter of 1894-5, only one proved to be a male, while six males 
1 Read before the Nuttall Ornithological Club, May 17, 1896. 
> Bull. American Museum Nat. Hist., VIII (March 18, 1896), pp. 43, 44. 
3In the present paper the word ‘ moult ’is to be understood as meaning that 
during or about the time of the renewal of the plumage, there is an zwcreased 
shedding of the feathers, an evident growth of ‘pin-feathers,’ or both com- 
bined; but it zPlies nothing as to feather-color and color-change. 
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