302 SNODGRASS AND HELLER 



Three specimens taken January 12 and one taken January 24, at 

 Tagus Cove, all in Stage V or between this Stage and Stage IV, show 

 traces of moulting, but none so much so as the February specimen. 

 Any of these birds might attain the same plumage as the brown-backed, 

 pale-bellied breeding birds of March through abrasion of the plumage 

 involving a wearing away of the pale edges of the feathers. 



There are three other birds from Tagus Cove taken in January in 

 the brown-spotted phase. Stage III, which are also moulting. These, 

 however, could not go over into Stages IV or V without a moult in- 

 volving a change in the color of the feathers, for they are distinctly 

 paler brown everywhere and not dusky. Another bird taken January 

 30 is dusky beneath but paler than specimens typical of Stage V, and 

 has the bill pinkish-yellow clouded with dusky. It is moulting 

 slightly. 



There are in the collection sixteen male specimens taken at Tagus 

 Cove in January. These vary from the purely black phase character- 

 istic of Stage VI, to forms with dusky head, conspicuously brown 

 backs and tail, pale rumps, and with much pale buffy-grayish on the 

 edges of the feathers of the belly, flanks and crissum. One of these 

 duplicates in coloration the palest of the breeding March birds. 

 Among these dusky January birds, is one that has no pale color below 

 except on the under tail coverts but has a few new feathers growing 

 in ; while several of those having pale bellies have many young 

 feathers. 



None of the specimens from Elizabeth Bay, taken in February shows 

 any sign of moulting. Of thirteen males one is in Stage IV, two are 

 in Stage V and several are in the brown-backed, pale-bellied breeding 

 plumage intermediate between Stage V and Stage VI. 



There are in the collection sixteen specimens from Iguana Cove 

 taken in December, January and March. Only two of the December 

 and January specimens show any indication of moulting. These are 

 both in Stage IV ; they have very much worn plumage and a few new 

 feathers growing in. One of them has the lower mandible yellowish 

 with black at the tip and base. The testes were enlarged as if the 

 bird was breeding. The other has the bill almost entirely black 

 with the exception of a yellowish spot on the culmen and another 

 on the gonys. The testes of this one were somewhat enlarged. 

 Hence, it appears that by the beginning of the breeding season, which 

 here commences in January, most of the males have ceased moulting. 

 The plumage of all the specimens is worn and does not have the 

 appearance of having been newly acquired. 



