Notes on the Plumage of North American Sparrows 243: 
In juvenal plumage, the Chestnut-collared Longspur has the feathers. 
of the back terminally margined with whitish, producing not a streaked, 
but vimged appearance. The bird, indeed, is surprisingly like a juvenal Grass-- 
hopper Sparrow, in this respect. The underparts are buffy, more or less. 
heavily streaked with blackish, the throat being whiter. 
The first winter plumage is acquired by molt, which appears to be restricted 
to the body plumage, the wing and tail feathers being retained. The bird now 
resembles the adult in winter plumage, but, as a rule, has less black on the- 
underparts. The lesser wing-coverts resemble the greater coverts in color, 
and are not black bordered with white as in the adult, and the chestnut of 
the nape is less evident. 
The prenuptial, or spring molt, is very limited, being apparently restricted 
to the anterior portions of the head, the change from the brownish winter- 
to the striking breeding plumage being accomplished chiefly by a wearing 
away of the brownish tips and margins of the feathers. 
First nuptial resembles adult nuptial plumage, but the chestnut nape is 
paler, and the lesser wing coverts are brownish as in winter. 
The adult male, at the postnuptial molt, acquires a winter plumage-- 
(Fig. 2), which, as has just been said, resembles that of the young bird, but 
has the lesser wing-coverts black and more black on the underparts. Nuptial 
plumage is acquired, as in the young bird, partly by molt but chiefly by 
abrasion. 
The female (Fig. 3) presents no striking seasonal changes in plumage. 
In worn summer plumage the underparts become more or less streaked, and 
the basal chestnut or blackish marking on some, doubtless old specimens,,. 
then become partly revealed. 
, Lapland Longspur (Figs. 4-6). The Longspurs, as a group, may be known 
by the length of the hind toe-nail. While this may not be regarded as an easily 
observed field character, it might at least serve in distinguishing the tracks. 
of these birds from those of certain Sparrows which they resemble in plumage.. 
The Lapland Longspur differs from the Chestnut-collared Longspur, as. 
the plate shows, in many respects, but in life, even at a distance, they could 
be readily identified by the difference in the amount of white in their tail-- 
feathers, the former having only the two outer feathers with white, the latter 
the outer four. Indeed female, and some winter male, Lapland Longspurs. 
more nearly resemble, superficially, Vesper Sparrows than they do birds. 
of their own group. 
In juvenal plumage the Lapland Longspur is very Sparrow-like in appear-- 
ance, with the forebreast and sides streaked with dusky and buff. Late in 
July or early in August, this plumage is exchanged for the first winter plumage 
(Fig. 6), which is acquired by molt of the body feathers and most of the wing- 
coverts, the tail feathers and wing-quills of the juvenal plumage being retained.. 
The young bird is now essentially like the adult in winter plumage. 
