Descriptions of First Plumage of Cer- 

 tain North Am, Bba. Wm. Brewster. 



1. Turdus mustelinua. 



First plumage : female. Generally similar to adult, but -with the feathers 

 of crown streaked centrally with huff ; " rusty-yellow triangular spots at 

 the ends of the wing-coverts and a decided brownish-yellow wash on 

 the breast." From a specimen in my collection, shot by Mr. W. D. Scott 

 at Coalburgh, West Virginia, July 25, 1872. This bird is perhaps a little 

 past the first stage of plumage, most of the feathers of the upper parts 

 being those of the autumnal dress. 



BuU. N.O.O. 3, Jan.. 1878.P, /7. 



Qeoaral Notea, ] 



Melanism in a Caged Wood Thrush. — A melanistic specimen of 

 Ttirdus mastelinus (American Museuin, No. 57,507, New Yorli, June 20, 

 1892, pre.sented bj W. Warren Brown) dilRr.s' from normal specimens of 

 this species as roliows : Two primaries, one entire secondary and a part 

 of the outer web of three others of the right wing, and one primary of 

 the left wing, are dull grayish; the auriculars are black, lightly tipped 

 with fulvous; half the feathers of the chin are wholly black ; the throat 

 is normal, the sides of the neck are slightly blaclcer than is usual, the 

 exposed portion of the feathers of the breast, flanks, under wing-coverts, 

 and crissum are black with narrow tips or borders of lawny which on the 

 breast arc reduced to the minimum. 



The bird-dealer from whom Mr. Brown purchased this specimen told 

 him it was one of a nesL of four he procured in June, 1S91, and the follow- 

 ing December or January they all changed to the same color as the example 

 just described. There are a number of recorded instances of black Robins,* 

 but so far as I am aware melanism has not before been noticed in the 

 Wood Thrush. — FR.iNK IVI. Chapman, American Museum of Natural 

 History, New Tork City. 



*Deane, Bull. X. O. C, I, 1876, p. 24; Coues, ibid., Ill, 1878, p. 48; Barrows, 

 Auk, I, 1884, p. 90; II, 1885, p. 303; Faxon, ibid., Ill, i885, p. 284. 



Auk .July, 1802. p,30S 



