PASSERINE BIRDS OF NEW YORK 173 



Carpodacus purpureas (GmeL). Purple Finch 



1. Natal Down. No specimen seen. 



2. Juvenal Plumage acquired by a complete postnatal moult. 

 Plate IV, fig. 1 shows a ju venal plumage crown feather. 



Above, wood-brown, broadly streaked with olive-brown and showing whitish streaks 

 if the feathers be disarranged so as to expose a lighter portion. Below, dull 

 white streaked with paler olive-brown, least on the chin, throat and middle of 

 abdomen and crissum, the last two areas often unmarked. An indistinct whitish 

 superciliary line. Wings and tail deep olive-brown, edged with pale bufif 

 deepest and broadest on tertiaries and wing coverts. Bill and feet pinkish buff, 

 sepia-brown when older. 



3. First Winter Plumage acquired by a partial postjuvenal 

 moult beginning- the end of August, which involves the body 

 plumage and the wing coverts, but not the rest of the wings nor 

 the tail. 



Differs in general effect very little from the last, but the streaks are bolder, the 

 brown usually with a greenish yellow tinge merging into the buffy edgings. 



Plate IV, fig". 2 shows a crown feather of this plumage newly 

 grown ; fig. 3, a similar feather after about eight months of wear. 

 When to apply the term first nuptial to this feather is a matter 

 not easy to determine. 



4. First Nuptial Plumage acquired by wear through which 

 most of the buffy tints are lost, the edgings becoming whitish. 

 Males are brown streaked and indistinguishable from females in 

 most cases. 



5. Adult Winter Plumage acquired by a complete post- 

 nuptial moult beginning early in August all males assuming the 

 pink plumage. 



Above, pale geranium-red (often carmine or brick-red), hoary on the pileum and 

 nape, the feathers of the back with dusky shaft lines and broad greenish buff 

 edgings. Below, a hoary geranium-pink blending into white on abdomen and 

 crissum, the flanks buffy with a few dusky streaks. Wings and tail clove -brown 

 the edgings tinged with pale brick-red. 



Young and old now become practically indistinguishable. 



Plate VII, fig. 1 represents a crown feather of this plumage 

 already showing wear which finally produces a feather like that 

 seen as fig. 2, the adult nuptial dress. 



