248 DWIGHT 



Above, grayish hair-brown becoming bright olive-yellow on the rump and wing 

 coverts ; a variable, small area of chestnut on the crown concealed by the 

 feather tips. Below, canary-yellow, brightest on the throat, breast and cris- 

 sum, slightly veiled by grayish feather tips, the flanks washed with brownish 

 olive-buff. Sides of head and neck smoke-gray. Conspicuous orbital ring 

 buffy white. 



4. First Nuptial Plumage acquired by a partial prenuptial 

 moult which involves chiefly the crown, sides of head and throat, 

 but not the rest of the body plumage nor the wings and tail. 

 The head becomes plumbeous gray, the edgings only half con- 

 cealing the rich chestnut of the crown. The orbital ring is 

 white and conspicuous. Wear is marked, bringing the gray of 

 the nape into contrast with the greenish back, later exposing the 

 chestnut of the crown. 



5._ Adult Winter Plumage acquired by a complete postnuptial 

 moult in July, and practically indistinguishable in many cases 

 from first winter dress, but usually the chestnut area on the 

 crown is larger and the color deeper, the gray areas darker and 

 the yellow below brighter. 



6. Adult Nuptial Plumage acquired probably by a partial 

 prenuptial moult as in the young bird. It does not seem prob- 

 able that by wear alone the brownish gray tips of the chestnut 

 crown feathers and the brownish gray tints of the head in autumn 

 can become so decidedly plumbeous by spring, and besides the 

 most worn spring birds show comparatively little wear. 



Female. — The plumages and moults correspond to those of 

 the male. The sexes are alike in juvenal plumage. In first winter 

 plumage, the chestnut of the crown is lacking or a mere trace. 

 In first nuptial plumage, acquired partly by a limited prenuptial 

 moult, the chestnut is increased although new feathers both with 

 and without chestnut grow on the crown. Two specimens from 

 Jalapa, Mexico, April 7th (Am. Mus., Nos. 68548 and 68549), 

 show pin-feathers on the crown and throat. The adult winter 

 plumage is practically like the male adult winter and later plum- 

 ages are very similar to those of the male, the gray and yellow 

 usually duller. 



