3 So 
Dwight, Moult of North American Shore Birds. LOct 
uary, Heligoland Id., and Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. No. 64542, $ , 
January, Heligoland Id. Several much worn February birds that 
may be either young birds or adults are still in full winter dress. 
• 4. First Nuptial Plumage acquired by a prenuptial moult that 
appears to be complete, although possibly not in females. The 
reddish dusky barred feathers of the throat are assumed with the 
black, gray or rusty edged feathers of the back, young and old 
being practically indistinguishable although adults are richer in 
color and there are fewer winter feathers left behind when the 
moult is completed. Several specimens illustrate different stages, 
viz. : Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. No. 49827, April 19, Florida; No. 
45485, 2 , April 13, California; No. 60007, 9 , April 30, Florida, 
all showing ‘ blood-feathers ’ of the body plumage and of the 
rectrices to a greater or less degree. 
5. Second or Adult Winter Plumage acquired by a complete 
postnuptial moult in July, August, September and October. 
Many August and September specimens show new gray winter 
feathers creeping in on the back while new white ones below 
gradually efface the reddish colors. As early as July 7 one 
specimen (U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 151633, Venezuela) is largely 
in winter dress, retaining only three old primaries, while another 
(U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 102064, $ , October 31, Peru) still retains 
five old primaries. Two birds (U. S. Nat. Mus. Nos. 128793 and 
128795, October 8, Aldabra Id., Indian Ocean) are in the midst 
of moult, retaining three distal primaries, the others, with most 
of the body plumage and the inner pairs of rectrices being new. 
The full winter dress, which differs very little from that of young 
birds, is • shown by various specimens; U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 
128796, November 10, Aldabra Id., Indian Ocean; G. B. Sennett, 
No. 3938, January, Texas; Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. No. 39075, 
February 23, Florida (possibly a young bird). 
6. Second or Adult Nuptial Plumage acquired by a prenuptial 
moult that involves the body plumage and part of the wing- 
coverts but apparently not the remiges nor rectrices. An 
undoubted adult (Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. No. 45580, $ , April 13, 
California) is instructive, retaining a few feathers of the previous 
nuptial dress, much worn, part of the winter dress less worn, and 
with new body feathers growing at many points. A similar spec- 
Vol. XVII"j Dwight, Moult of North American Shore Birds. jSl 
1900 J J 
imen (G. B. Sennett, No. 3685, 2 , March 28, Texas) may also 
be cited. The full plumage may not be acquired until early in 
May. Auk, XVII, Oct., 1900 , p p. 379 ' 3 ^. 
