-4- 
 
 
ppoppp period. 
       Mated drakes in the Delta pens always assume the eclipse plumage 
 
earlier than non-breeding males. Thus in three mallard drakes of the 
 
eame age(yearlings from the same clutch) the drake which sucessfully 
 
bred with a hen assummed the eclipse plumage three wepks before the 
 
other two bmma drakes which did not have hens. 
       In the wild the first birds to assume the eclipse plumage are, 
 
perhaps, early-mated males; the last to assume the eclipse are late-breed-

 
ing or non-breeding birds. In early June some mallards and pintail drakes

 
are M*l1kkiau in full eclipse end flightless. At the same time late- 
 
breeding males with females still wear the bright breeding plumage. In 
 
late June many blue-winged teal drakes are in full eclipse and fligtlesy
, 
 
but drakes still with hins are seen in immaculate breeding plumage. 
       In the lesser scaup, drakes begin to lose their         while 
 
the hen is still complet4ing the clutch. Some drakes are in nearly full 
 
eclipse by the time they abandon their hens. 
        In the canvasbackthe molt out of the eclipse begins shortly after

 
the birds have regained their new flight feathers,   Some o   canvasback

 
drakes are well into their new breeding dress by IImbjin early 
 
September; most drakes are in breeding plumage by the middle of October.

In Captive birds, however, the breeding dress is not fully assumed until

 
late November. Redhead and lesser scaup drakes likewise are in breeding 
 
dress by the middle of October. 
        A few mallard drakes are in new breeding plumage by the middle 
 
 of September.  A few full-plumaged males are always taken the opening 
 
 day of shooting season at Delta. All but a few adult males are in 
 
 breeding plumage by the middle of October. Some baldpate, gadwall, 
 
 green-winged teal and pintail drakes attain full plumage by early October,

 
 but in general these species come out of the eclipse later than the