78 University of California Publications in Zoology [Vou. 30

of the juvenal rectrices (as pointed out by van Rossem, 1925, p. 417),
and continues until nearly the middle of September. It may not con-
tinue over this entire period in the ease of any one bird, but the time
indicated is when the young, as a group, are undergoing this molt. The
molt of the tail begins with the outermost feathers and progresses
toward the middle. As in the post-natal molt, the head and neck are
almost the last parts affected. The very last feathers to be changed
appear to be the tertials. Juvenal tertials may be found on birds
otherwise entirely in first winter plumage, as in two females at hand,
collected September 14 and 15, respectively. The male in first winter
plumage is in general like the fully adult except in tail character. The
young male (until the end of the second summer) has the tail rounded,
with the individual feathers relatively narrow and rounded. Asa rule
it has the tail more distinctly gray-tipped than is the case in adults.
Minor color characters that appear in the first winter plumage, as com-
pared with the fully adult, are: much more white spotting on upper
breast, sides, and flanks; on the wings, the primaries, secondaries,
tertials, and coverts are all more extensively mottled with rusty.

Adult plumage (male): The first post-nuptial molt begins about
the middle of July of the second year and lasts until about the middle
of September. The change in character of rectrices is the one con-
spicuous feature of the mature plumage. I cannot find that there is
any renewal of rectrices (except sporadically, presumably as the ‘result
of accidental feather loss) until this molt regularly begins. This, I
believe, is the only point in which I disagree with van Rossem (1926,
pp. 417-422) in the conelusions drawn by him regarding molt in this
genus. The fully adult tail, now acquired, is square ended, the feathers
broad and truncate. Minor color differences are a clearer gray colora-
tion below and less white spotting on breast and sides, while the
mottling on dorsal surface of wings and on interscapulars is less in
extent, and gray instead of brown.

In the female the differences between first winter and later
plumages are not so apparent, but here, too, the greater breadth of the
tail feathers is a feature of the mature bird.

The several recognized forms of Dendragapus are currently
regarded as being all subspecies of one species, Dendragapus obscurus,
but it seems to me that there are, rather, two species involved in this
assemblage. Under the species Dendragapus obscurus I would place
(from north to south) the subspecies D. 0. flemingi, D. o. richardsoni,
and D. o. obscwrus. Under the species Dendragapus fuliginosus I