. Bird lore . But when our attention is called to it, we find in the molting of birds a lesson that is as interest-ing as it is vital. It is a lessonwell suited to this period duringthe fall, for it can be demon-strated as beautifully with theSparrow in the street as it canS be by the rarest and most secre-tive Warbler.—A. A. A. HOW BIRDS CHANGEc THEIR PLUMAGE August is the month ofmolting, the season when birdschange their faded worn plumagefor fresh feathers often of adifferent color. Some birds donot complete molting until Sep-tember is far advanced whileothers, particularly among theWaterf
. Bird lore . But when our attention is called to it, we find in the molting of birds a lesson that is as interest-ing as it is vital. It is a lessonwell suited to this period duringthe fall, for it can be demon-strated as beautifully with theSparrow in the street as it canS be by the rarest and most secre-tive Warbler.—A. A. A. HOW BIRDS CHANGEc THEIR PLUMAGE August is the month ofmolting, the season when birdschange their faded worn plumagefor fresh feathers often of adifferent color. Some birds donot complete molting until Sep-tember is far advanced whileothers, particularly among theWaterfowl, begin molting inJune and by September havepassed through two molts, hav-ing taken on a dull plumageand discarded it again. Withmost birds, however, Septemberfinds them in their full winterplumage. The change has beensuch a gradual one that, althoughevery feather has been shed andreplaced, it has scarcely beennoticed unless there has been achange of color as well. Begin-ning always at a definite feather,. SPARROWS WINGS IN MOLT TO SHOW THE WAY IN WHICH THE FEATHERS ARE SHED AND REPLACED The molt begins with the innermost primary (IX) andprogresses gradually inwardly and outwardly. Romannumerals indicate primaries; Arabic, secondaries. Arrowsshow the advance of the molt. In the uppermost wing themolt has not begun, in the lowest it is almost complete The Audubon Societies 303 usually the innermost primary wing-feather, the molt proceeds with regularsequence until all the feathers are replaced. The second feather is not lost untilthe first is partially grown, and, before the third and fourth are lost, the first ispractically matured. The same is true of the tail feathers, so that a bird isnever normally without its locomotor organs and steering gear. An exception
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectorn
