PASSERINE BIRDS OF NEW YORK 299 



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

 tail, young and old becoming practically indistinguishable. 



Similar to the previous plumage. The pileum and hind neck glossy greenish black, 

 the back a brighter, bluer cinerous gray ivitJiotit dusky edgings ; the lower sur- 

 face everywhere creamier and "washed with pinkish buff, the flanks, crissum and 

 tibioe Mars-brown. 



4. First Nuptial Plumage acquired by wear, the lower 

 parts fading to dull grayish white except a tinge of pale russet 

 on the flanks, crissum and tibiae. Worn adults bear a striking 

 resemblance to birds in ju venal dress. 



5. Adult Winter Plumage acquired by a complete post- 

 nuptial moult in July. Practically indistinguishable from the 

 first winter. 



6. Adult Nuptial Plumage acquired by wear as in the young 

 bird. 



Female. — The plumages and moults correspond to those of 

 the male. First distinguishable from the male in juvenal plum- 

 age, the pileum being deep plumbeous gray, the hind neck dull 

 black ; the wing coverts, edgings of the secondaries and the 

 lower parts are strongly tinged with pale russet, the crissum with 

 Mars-brown. The first winter plumage lacks the glossy black 

 cap of the male, its place being taken by dull black mostly veiled 

 with plumbeous gray ; the back is of a duller gray ; the wing 

 coverts and secondary edgings are faintly tinged with russet ; 

 below same as the male. Females never, even in later plum- 

 ages, acquire enough black on the cap to be mi.staken for males. 



Sitta canadensis Linn. Red-breasted Nuthatch 



1. Natal Down. No specimen seen. 



2. Juvenal Plumage acquired by a complete postnatal moult. 



Above, bluish plumbeous gray, with a few faint black edgings, the pileum and trans- 

 ocular bands reaching the hind neck, dull black, superciliary lines extending to 

 the hind neck, white speckled with black. Wings dull clove-brown, the ter- 

 tiaries plumbeous, the alula? black, the coverts and quills edged with pale 

 cinereous gray, palest on the primaries. Tail black with subterminal white 

 spots on the outer rectrices, the two central quills plumbeous. Below, pinkish 

 buff, the crissum pale cinnamon, the breast sometimes with a few faint dusky 

 edgings ; the chin and adjacent sides of head white with dusky edgings, es- 



