. . times takes its place. There is so muchvariation in the forms and plumages of individuals of thesame species, and so many changes take place soon after deathin the colors of the naked parts and in the tints of the feathers,that no description can be fully adequate that does not in-clude all the many changes in plumage and colors of parts,taken from life, in the various individuals of different ages andsexes. Careful notes taken from a large series of specimensfreshly killed might enable one to give fairly accurate descrip-tions,
. . times takes its place. There is so muchvariation in the forms and plumages of individuals of thesame species, and so many changes take place soon after deathin the colors of the naked parts and in the tints of the feathers,that no description can be fully adequate that does not in-clude all the many changes in plumage and colors of parts,taken from life, in the various individuals of different ages andsexes. Careful notes taken from a large series of specimensfreshly killed might enable one to give fairly accurate descrip-tions, but when dependence is placed on dried skins, as itoften is, many errors must occur. All that is attempted hereis to try to give in each case such an incomplete descriptionof the adult male and female as will serve, when used in con-nection with the cuts, to identify the adults of each species,and also to indicate in a general way how the young of thefirst year differ from or resemble the parents. BIRDS HUNTED FOR FOOD OR SPORT. 113 REDHEAD {Marila americana).. Male. Length. — 19 to 23 inches. Adult Male. — Head and upper neck reddish chestnut or brick red, glossedsometimes with reddish purple or coppery reflections; rest of neck,breast and upper back black to bend of wing; rest of back, other upperparts and flanks mainly light gray, with very narrow wavy cross pen-cillings of black; speculum or wing patch gray; rump and tail dark orblackish; belly white; feathers under tail blackish; iris orange; bill paleblue, black-tipped; feet grayish blue, webs dusky. Adult Female. —- Head and upper neck dull or pale reddish brown or gray-ish brown, darkest on top of head, paler on cheeks and behind eye,sometimes whitish about base of bill, meeting white on chin; backbrownish gray; neck, breast and sides brown; middle of belly white,lower belly brown; bill obscure pale blue with black tip; legs and feetgrayish blue; iris yellow. Young Male. — Somewhere between adult male and female
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Keywords: ., bookauthorjobherbe, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookyear1912
