EVOLUTION OF THE COLORS OP BIRDS. 313 



male; young with a peculiar first plumage, but similar 

 to that of female. 



Prevailing colors, black, white, gray, yellow, rufous. 



This bird shows three well marked stages of evolu- 

 tionary progress, from the young plumage through the 

 adult female to the adult male. The colors of this genus 

 are identical with the preceding, except the olive green, 

 which is wanting in the present group. The distribution 

 of color, however, appears to have been rather more 

 controlled by sexual selection than in the previous 

 instance. 



Genus Calamospiza. The Lark Bunting. 



(5) Male in breeding plumage differs from female; 

 young with peculiar first plumage. 



Prevailing colors, black, white, brown, slaty, gray. 



There is a strong tendency toward the assumption of 

 a melanistic plumage in this genus, although worn only 

 by the male* during the summer. The conspicuous white 

 wing patch is probably a directive mark. 



FAMILY TANAGRIDiE. The Tanagers. 

 This family consists of brilliant tropical genera, a few 

 species of which have spread over the boreal province. 

 The female are dull colored and the young generally 

 represent a still earlier phase of developmental history. 

 But two genera are present within our limits, Euphonia 

 and Piranga. The prevailing colors of the male of the 

 former are blue, black, and chestnut or rufous; of the 

 latter scarlet, yellow and black. The female of Piranga 

 is olive green and yellow, the colors of the male having 

 been produced first by the assortment of pigments into 

 yellow and black, and second by an intensification of 

 the yellow into scarlet. The relationship of Euphonia 

 to Piranga, so far as its color's are concerned, is shown 

 by the plumage of the female which is colored an olive 



