BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 311 



chest; rump, upper tail-covert,s, les.soi- and middle wing-coverts, and 

 under parts of bodj^ (except median portion of upper chest) rich 

 orange or orange-yellow;' wings (except lesser and middle coverts) 

 black, the greater coverts broadlj^ tipped with white, the remiges 

 more or less edged with same; middle pair of rectrices black, except 

 the concealed basal portion; remainder of tail light orange or orange- 

 yellow, crossed near the base by a broad band of black; maxilla black, 

 mandible pale grayish blue (in life), with tip dusky; iris brown; legs 

 and feet dusky horn color (in dried skins). 



Adult male in w<»te'.— Similar to the summer male, but scapulars 

 and interscapulars margined with dull orange, orange of rump and 

 upper tail-coverts more or less obscured with olive, and white wing- 

 edgings broader. 



Adult female in summer.— YWnwm, hindneck, back, and scapulars 

 saffron-olive, the feathers with more or less distinct central spots of 

 black or dusky; rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail olive-saffron, 

 brightest (sometimes dull orange) on upper tail-coverts; wmgs dusky, 

 the middle coverts broadly, the greater coverts more narrowly, tipped 

 with white, the remiges edged with gray (sometimes white on longer 

 primaries); under parts saffron yellow or dull orange-yellow, paler 

 and duller on abdomen, tinged with olive on sides and flanks, the 

 throat usually with more or less of black. ^ 



Admit female in winter . — Similar to the summer female, but plum- 

 age softer and back tinged with gray. 



Imm,ature male. — Variously intermediate in coloration between the 

 adult female and fully adult male, according to age. 



Young in first autumn and /vmtej:— 'Not essentially different from 

 those adult females without black on upper parts or throat. 



Ymmg, first plumage. — Essentially similar to the lighter colored 

 adult females, but upper parts paler and grayer, without dusky centers 

 to feathers of pileum, back, etc. ; under parts dull whitish shading 

 into pale saffron-olive on chest, sides, and flanks; chin grayish white, 

 throat pale olive-yellowish, and white wing-markings somewhat tinged 

 with dull yellowish. 



Adult mafe.— Length (skins), 172.7-188 (181.1); wing, 91.4-102.1 

 (97); tail, 70.6-80 (76.9); exposed culmen, 17.5-19.8 (18.3); depth of 

 bill at base, 9.1-10.7 (9.9); tarsus, 22.9-25.4 (23.9); middle toe, 15.2- 

 16.8(15.7).^ 



Varying from cadmium yellow to intense orange, or almost flame scarlet, the 

 average hue being cadmmm orange. 



There is a very great amount of individual variation in the adult female. A 

 Bflajority of specimens show more or less black on the upper parts, some having the 

 head, neck, and back nearly uniform black and the middle rectrices mostly black, 

 thus to be distinguished from males in the second or third year only by dissection. 



Tw^elve specimens. 



