43 
in Various Species of North American Birds. 
fers from that of the adult in being much darker, and the tail is conspicu- 
ously tipped with white, and crossed by six bands of white spots. From 
a specimen in my collection obtained by Mr. C. A. Allen at Nicasio, Cal., 
August 3, 1878. This bird was thought by Mr. Allen to be in first plu- 
mage. Its feathering, however, is so perfect, and the coloring so nearly 
like that of the adult, that I am inclined to consider it as in the second 
or autumnal plumage. The iris was yellow ; the bill pale green ; the feet 
greenish-yellow. 
114. Ictinia mississippiensis. 
Autumnal plumage : * young male. Head and neck ashy- white, each 
feather centrally streaked with dark plumbeous. Rest of upper parts 
dull black, with a narrow terminal rusty edging upon most of the feath- 
ers. Primaries and secondaries, with a few of the primary coverts, broadly 
tipped with white. Lores and eyelids black, as in the adult. Cheeks 
black, slightly streaked with white. Throat yellowish-white, with fine 
longitudinal plumbeous pencillings. Rest of under parts deep rich sal- 
mon, fading to yellowish-white on the abdomen, each feather with a me- 
dial, longitudinal, ovate spot of chestnut, which in most cases is laterally 
bordered by dark brown. Tail black, crossed beneath by three white 
bands (formed by angular spots on the inner webs), with corresponding 
ashy ones above, very faintly but more continuously defined. From a 
specimen in my cabinet collected by Mr. G. H. Ragsdale at Gainesville, 
Tex., September 5, 1878. A young female of apparently about the 
same age as my bird, described by Mr. Ridgway (B. B. & R., Hist. N* 
Am. Birds, Vol. Ill, p. 204), seems to differ in several important respects. 
115. Tetrao canadensis. 
Downy stage : chick about a week old. General ground-color buff-yel- 
low. Central area of crown bright rufous, with a marginal lining of black. 
A spot of black on the forehead and on each lore, with three nearly con- 
fluent ones over the auriculars. Rump yellowish-rufous. Back and wings 
fulvous, the primaries, secondaries, wing-coverts, and scapulars barred 
with brownisli-black. Under parts immaculate. From a specimen in my 
collection obtained with the female parent at Upton, Me., June, 1873. 
First plumage : female. Ground-color above bright reddish-brown, be- 
coming reddish-chestnut on the crown. The feathers are marked every- 
where with black blotches of angular outlines and irregular shapes. 
Upon the neck and rump they form transverse bars : they are broadest 
* It is possible that, like certain of the Owls, this species may pass through 
two preparatory stages, viz. a downy one and a distinctive first plumage. In 
this case the plumage above described would represent a first plumage cor- 
responding with that of most Passerine birds. The better known members of 
this family, however, change directly from their downy dress into the regular 
autumnal plumage. 
