PASSERINE BIRDS OF NEW YORK 169 



indistinguishable. The bronzed back is assumed at the post- 

 juvenal moult, old and young becoming indistinguishable. 



FRINGILLID^ 



The types of moult in this large Family are almost as numer- 

 ous as the species. Many moult twice every year, the prenup- 

 tial being complete in at least one species, A. caudacutiis, and 

 partial in many, producing a large variety of curiously mixed 

 plumages. P. domestiats, A. s. passeriiius, A. Jienslowi (prob- 

 ably), A. inaritimiis, C. grainmacus, M. fasciata, C. cardinalis 

 and probably some others undergo a complete postju venal moult 

 more or less regularly. Several species pass their first breeding 

 season in the immature dress assumed at the postjuvenal moult, 

 exchanging it for the full adult dress at the first postnuptial moult. 

 The peculiarities of moult and wear, which in some species pro- 

 duce most startling changes in their apparent color and in the 

 shape of the feathers, will be discussed under the respective 

 species. The apparent brightening of color in some of the 

 Finches and the Crossbills is also explained under each species. 



Coccothraustes vespertinus (Coop.). Evening Grosbeak 



1. Natal Down. No specimen seen, 



2. Juvenal Plumage acquired by a complete postnatal moult. 



Above, pale bistre, greenish tinged on back, wood- brown on rump and forehead. 

 Wings black narrowly edged with white ; the tertiaries pale drab, their inner 

 borders dull black ; two or three inner secondaries terminally dull white with 

 dingy black apical blotches ; inner greater coverts dull white on outer webs and 

 edged with canary-yellow. Tail black. Below, pale cinnamon or wood-brown, 

 merging into canary-yellow on throat and chin. Rictal and submalar streaks 

 dusky. " Lining of wings " canary-yellow. Under tail coverts white. Bill 

 and feet in dried specimen dull brown. 



3. First Winter Plumage acquired by a partial postjuvenal 

 moult in August in British Columbia which involves the body 

 plumage but not the wings nor the tail. The wing coverts are 

 renewed but not usually the tertiaries. 



Bright olive-yellow washed with rich olive-brown, deepest about the head ; crown 

 and nape black, forehead, superciliary stripe, rump and under tail coverts 



