Size, large. Bill, short, thick, distinctly toothed, and with a slight festoon; wings rather shorter than in Falco; tarsi and toes shorter, the former covered with small circular scales. Color of adult usually white. Contains several species inhabiting the northern regions of both continents, nearly all of which where regarded with great favor for the purposes of Falconry.
Edwards’ Birds, II. pl. 53, young. Aud. B. of Am. pl. 196, young, (but not pl. 366 which represents another species.) Schlegel, Traité de Fauconnerie, pl. (no number,) adult. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. II. pl. 10, (feathers.)
Form strong, and robust; second and third quills (in the young bird) longest and nearly equal. Adult, according to Hancock as cited above, “ground of the plumage pure white, upper parts elegantly marked with arrow shaped spots of a dark gray; under parts and head streaked with the same; wings reaching to within two inches of the end of the tail; second primary the longest.”
Young. Entire plumage, brown, tinged with cinereous on the upper parts. Throat, dull white; all the plumage of the under parts edged with and having circular spots of dull yellowish white, the rounded spots more apparent on the tibia and under tail-coverts. Quills, mottled with the same white on their inner webs; tail, with numerous (about thirteen) irregular bars of the same. “Bill and cere, pale blue; iris, brownish black. Feet, grayish blue; the under parts of the toes greenish yellow; claws dusky.” (Audubon.)
Hab. Northern America. Greenland, (Fabricius, Hancock,) Hudson’s Bay, (Richardson,) Labrador, (Audubon,) Louisville, Kentucky, (Mr. C. W. Webber.) Spec. in Mus. Nat. Hist. Soc. Charleston, S. C.
Obs. The Gyrfalcon is of very rare occurrence in the United States, though not unfrequent in the northern regions of this continent.
Mr. Hancock, whose opportunities were ample, fully demonstrates (as cited above) that the Falco grœnlandicus of Greenland, which is the present species, and the Falco islandicus of Iceland, are distinct, which appears to be assented to by all late writers. The bird, figured by Mr. Audubon as the adult of the species of which the young bird was obtained by him in Labrador, was an Iceland specimen, (Orn. Biog. IV. p. 476,) and therefore not correctly given as the American bird. We have never had the satisfaction of seeing the adult of this species; but for an opportunity of examining one of Mr. Audubon’s Labrador specimens, we are indebted to the Rev. John Bachman, D. D., of Charleston, S. C., who, with that disposition to advance the interests of Zoological Science which has always characterized him, most kindly forwarded it at our request.
Turton’s description above cited, is copied by him from Pennant’s Greenland Falcon, Arctic Zoology, I. p. 257.
Size small, tarsus lengthened and rather slender. In all other characters much like typical Falco. Toes long, slender and furnished with sharp, curved claws. This genus includes about ten or twelve small species found in various parts of the world, and for the greater part dark colored, like the species of typical Falco.
Cat. Car. pl. 3. Vieill. Ois. d’Am. Sept. pl. 11. Wils. Am. Orn. II. pl. 15, fig. 3. Faun. Bor. Am. Birds, pl. 25. Aud. B. of Am. pl. 75, 92. Oct. ed. I. pl. 21. De Kay, Nat. Hist. N. Y. pl. 4, fig. 9.
Small, head and body broad and strong, bill short, wing pointed with the second and third quills longest, tail slightly rounded, tarsi and toes slender. Adult male. Entire plumage of the upper parts dusky slate color, inclining to bluish, every feather with a black longitudinal line. Forehead and throat white, other under parts pale yellowish or reddish white, every feather with a narrow longitudinal stripe of brownish black, plumage of the tibia, light rusty red, with narrow stripes of black. Quills black, with transverse bands of white on their inner webs, and narrowly tipped with ashy white, tail above light bluish cinereous tipped with white, and with a wide subterminal band of black, and with several other narrower bands of black, inner webs nearly white. Cere and feet yellow, bill blue.
Middle age or winter plumage? Entire upper plumage, brownish black, slightly mixed with rufous on the head and neck behind, white of the face, and under parts more deeply tinged with reddish yellow, dark stripes wider, plumage of the sides, with wide transverse bands of brownish black, predominating on some feathers, and the yellowish white, assuming the form of circular spots. Tail dark brown, nearly black tipped, and with four bars of white, upper tail coverts with spots of white at their bases. Feet yellow.
Younger and adult female? Entire upper plumage, dusky brown, quite light, and with a tinge of ashy in some specimens. Head above with narrow stripes of dark brown and rusty red, and in some specimens, many irregular spots and edgings of the latter color, on the other upper parts. Forehead and entire under parts white, with longitudinal stripes of light brown. Plumage of the sides and flanks light brown, with pairs of circular spots of white, tibia white, with dashes of brown, tail above and below pale brown, with about six bands of white. Neck behind with a distinct band of white.
Dimensions. Total length (of skin,) females, 12 to 14 inches, wing, 8 to 9, tail, 5½ inches. Male. Total length, 10 to 11 inches, wing, 7½ to 8, tail, 5 inches.
Hab. North and South America. Wisconsin, (Dr. Hoy.) California, (Mr. J. G. Bell.) Oregon, (Col. M’Call, Dr. Townsend.) Cuba, (M. de Sagra.) Jamaica, (Mr. Gosse.) New Granada, (M. Parzudaki.) Bermuda, (Sir. W. Jardine.) Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.
Obs. The adult of this species is with difficulty distinguishable from the European H. æsalon, but we have never seen the latter in the nearly black plumage, which we regard as characterizing the young or winter plumage, of the American bird. The light, “liver brown” plumage, represented by European authors as the female of F. æsalon, frequently occurs in this bird, and is given by Rich. and Swains. in Fauna Boreali Americana, Birds, pl. 25. The adult which appears to be Falco temerarius, Aud., is figured in B. of Am. pl. 75, the other figures by Aud. pl. 92, and Wilson’s plate, represent this bird in the dark plumage as described above.
Adult specimens from Western America, even more closely resemble the European species, but differ from the Eastern American only in small and scarcely describable particulars, as the slightly greater extent of the white front, or the greater purity of the white of the throat and breast. We regard the stage of plumage above described as that of the female, (and as figured by Rich. and Swains.) principally on account of its analogy to the female of the nearly allied European species.
This bird is of frequent occurrence in the United States. The largest specimens that we have ever seen are from Oregon, and may prove to be of a distinct species, though we cannot at present, determine.
Size small, tarsus and toes lengthened, slender. Colors generally more or less rufous and white. In all other respects similar to typical Falco. This genus comprises about twelve very handsome species of small size, inhabiting various countries.
Vieill. Ois. d’Am. Sept. pl. 12, 13. Cat. Car. pl. 5. Buff. Pl. Enl. 465. Wilson Am. Orn. II. pl. 16, fig. 1, and IV. pl. 32, fig. 2. Faun. Bor. Am. Birds, pl. 24. Aud. B. of Am. pl. 42. Oct. ed. I. pl. 22. Nat. Hist. N. Y. Birds, pl. 7, fig. 16.
Small, wings moderate, tail rounded. Adult Male. Frontal band, space including the eyes and throat, white; spot on the neck behind, two others on each side of the neck, and line running downwards from before the eye, black. Head above, and wing coverts, bluish cinereous, the latter usually spotted with black. Spot on the top of the head, the neck behind, back, rump, and generally the tail above, light rufous or cinnamon red. Under parts generally a pale shade of the same color, frequently nearly white, but sometimes nearly as dark as the back, and always with more or less numerous circular, or oblong spots of black. Quills brownish black, with white bars on their inner webs. Tail tipped with white, sometimes tinged with rufous, and with a broad subterminal band of black, frequently with several of the outer feathers, white tinged with ashy, and barred with black. Bill blue, legs and feet yellow. Back generally with more or less numerous transverse stripes of black. Rufous spot on head, much varying in size, and sometimes wanting.
Female. Upper parts as above, and wing coverts, and tail rust red, with numerous transverse bands of brownish black, under parts with numerous longitudinal stripes, and on the sides and flanks, with transverse bands of the same color, external feathers of the tail palest, broad subterminal band on the tail, obscure or wanting. Young Male. Wing-coverts, dark bluish cinereous with large circular spots, and with bands of brownish black, all the rufous parts with broad bands of the same color, under parts with large circular spots, and wide traverse bands of black on the sides and flanks.
Dimensions. Total length, 11 to 12 inches, wing 7 to 7½, tail 5 to 5½ inches. Sexes nearly alike in size.
Hab. The entire continent of America. California, (Mr. Bell.) Mexico, (Mr. Pease.) Cuba, (M. de Sagra.) Bermuda, (Sir W. Jardine.) Chili, (Lieut. Gilliss.) Patagonia, (Ex. Exp. Vincennes.) Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.
Obs. This elegant little Hawk, is one of the most handsomely colored of the Rapacious Birds of North America, and is frequently met with.
It is widely diffused, being common to all parts of the United States, and we have seen numerous specimens brought in collections from various parts of South America. The young bird has never been figured. Specimens from all parts of America are very similar, and we have seen the stages of plumage, which have been considered as indicating distinct species by eminent authors, but they do not appear to be constant, nor peculiar to any locality.
Bill short, hooked, upper mandible lobed, but not toothed. Wings rather short, tail long, and rather wide, tarsi rather long and slender, toes and claws long, the latter curved and sharp. Embraces forty to fifty species, amongst which are birds of all countries. They are very vigilant and active and swift of flight, and have as a peculiar character amongst the Falconidæ, the habit of pursuing their prey into woods and forests.
General form, strong, but somewhat slender; bill short, curved, festooned; nostrils large, somewhat ovate, inserted in the cere. Wings moderate; tail, long and broad. Tarsi rather lengthened; covered in front with rather wide transverse scales; toes and claws, rather long, the latter sharp. This genus contains about twelve species of all countries.
Wilson Am. Orn. VI. pl. 52, fig. 3. Faun. Bor. Am. Birds, pl. 26. Jard. and Selby, Ill. Orn. pl. 121. Aud. B. of Am. pl. 141, Oct. ed. I. pl. 23. Temm. Pl. col. 495.
Large, general form, rather slender; wings, short. Adult. Head above, neck behind and stripe from behind the eye, black, generally more or less mixed with ashy; other upper parts bluish cinereous, with the shafts of the feathers black; a conspicuous stripe over the eye, and an obscure collar on the back of the neck white. Entire under parts white, every feather with a longitudinal line of brownish black, and several transverse narrow and usually irregular bands of ashy brown. Quills, brown, with bands of a deeper shade of the same color, and with mottled white bands on their inner webs. Tail, dark brownish cinereous, with irregular bands of brownish black, and narrowly tipped with white; under surface very pale, nearly white; under tail-coverts pure white. Young. Head above and other upper parts, dark brown mixed with rufous, especially on the head and neck. Under parts, white, tinged with fulvous, with large oblong and circular spots of deep brown.
Dimensions. Total length, female, 22 to 24 inches, wing about 14, tail 10½ to 11 inches; male, 19 to 20 inches, wing 13, tail 9½ to 10 inches.
Hab. Northern and eastern North America. Spec. Mus. Acad. Philada.
Obs. Resembles to some extent the Goshawk of Europe, (Astur palumbarius,) with which it has been confounded by some American authors. It is about the same size, but may easily be distinguished by its lighter color, and by its much narrower and more numerous bands on the inferior parts of the body. It is in all respects a distinct species, as described by Wilson and by Temminck.
The young male of this bird may readily be mistaken for the young female of the succeeding species, (Accipiter Cooperi,) but can be distinguished by the different color and markings of the under parts of the body. In some specimens of this species, the transverse bands on the under parts are so irregular or broken, as to present a nearly uniformly mottled aspect. This stage of plumage is represented in Audubon’s plate, but is not the most common.
General characters very similar to those of Astur, but the species are generally more slender and much smaller. Wings short, with the fourth quill usually slightly longest, shorter than in Astur; tail long; tarsi rather long and slender, and frequently with the scales of the tarsi nearly obsolete. Contains about twenty species of all countries, many of which bear more or less resemblance to the Accipiter nisus of Europe.
Temm. Pl. col. 67. Vieill, Ois. d’Am. Sept. pl. 14. Wilson, Am. Orn. V. pl. 45, fig. 1, VI. pl. 46, fig. 1. Aud. B. of Am. pl. 374, Oct. ed. I. pl. 25.
Small, tail rather long, with the end nearly even; tarsi and toes slender. Adult, entire upper parts dark brownish black tinged with ashy, occiput mixed with white. Throat, and under tail-coverts, white, the former with very fine lines of black on the shafts of the feathers; other under parts, fine light rufous, deepest on the tibia, and with transverse bands of white; shafts of the feathers with lines of dark brown. Tail, ashy brown, tipped with white, and with about four bands of brownish black. Quills, brownish black, with bands of a darker shade, and of white on their inner webs; secondaries and tertiaries, with large partially concealed white spots. Shafts of quills tinged with reddish. Young. Entire upper parts umber brown, tinged with ashy; neck behind mixed with white; greater wing-coverts and shorter quills, with large white spots partially concealed. Under parts white, with longitudinal stripes and circular spots of reddish brown, changing into transverse bands on the flanks and tibiæ; under tail-coverts, in many specimens, pure white.
Dimensions. Total length, female, 12 to 14 inches, wing 7½; to 8, tail 6½ to 7 inches; male, total length 10 to 11, wing 6 to 6½, tail 5 to 5½ inches.
Hab. Throughout North America. Hudson’s Bay, (Richardson,) Wisconsin, (Hoy,) Texas, (Audubon,) California, (Heermann,) New Mexico, (M‘Call,) Mexico, (Pease.) Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.
Obs. This little Hawk is one of the most common of the North American species. It is very similar, when adult, to the Accipiter nisus of Europe, but the young differ, as is the case with nearly all our Hawks which resemble birds of the old world. We have never seen a specimen of A. fuscus with the transverse bands on the under parts regular and unbroken, as is commonly met with in the young female of A. nisus.
Though we regard the law of priority as of great importance, we have in the case of this species continued Gmelin’s specific name fuscus, (1788,) though it had been previously used by Fabricius, (1780; see Hierofalco sacer in this synopsis.) We know of no practical benefit, however, that would now result from the alteration of this long established name, especially as the fuscus of Fabricius is a synonyme itself. Any naturalist, however, being so moved, may call this bird Accipiter dubius, if he chooses, and shall not be molested by us.
Bonap. Am. Orn. pl. 1, fig. 1, young. Aud. B. of Am. pl. 36, 141, fig. 3; Oct. ed. I. pl. 24, adult and young.
Larger than the preceding; slender; wings short; tail rounded. Adult, head above brownish black, mixed with white on the occiput; other upper parts dark ashy brown, with the shafts of the feathers brownish black; an obscure rufous collar on the neck behind. Throat and under tail-coverts white, the former with lines of dark brown; other under parts transversely barred with light rufous and white; tail, dark cinereous, with four wide bands of brownish black, and tipped with white; quills ashy brown, with darker bands, and white marks on their inner webs. Young. Head and neck behind yellowish white tinged with rufous, and with longitudinal oblong stripes of brown; other upper parts light umber brown, with large partially concealed spots and bars of white; upper tail-coverts tipped with white; under parts white, with narrow longitudinal stripes of light brown; tail as in adult.
Dimensions. Female, total length 18 to 20 inches, wing 10 to 11, tail 8½; male, 16 to 17, wing 9½ to 10, tail 8 inches.
Hab. The entire territory of the United States. Chili, (Gay.)
Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.
Obs. Rather a difficult species to the ornithologist, on account of the great variations in its colors, and in size also. It is, in fact, unusual to find two alike in a dozen specimens. Very similar when adult to A. fuscus, but much larger. The adults of both sexes are the same in color. We have latterly suspected that the smaller specimens usually considered as young males of this bird, are really the young of the species next below, (A. Mexicanus.)
This bird is of frequent occurrence in the United States.
Smaller than the preceding; tail long, rounded. Adult, head above black; other upper parts dark brownish black, with a tinge of cinereous, darkest on the back. Throat and under tail-coverts white; other under parts fine light rufous, deepest on the tibiæ, and barred and spotted with white nearly obsolete on the breast, sides and tibiæ, the longitudinal dark lines on the shafts of the feathers, (conspicuous in A. Cooperii,) barely discernible on the breast. Quills, dark brown, edged exteriorly with ashy, and with bands of darker brown and white on their inner webs; tail, dark cinereous, tipped with white, and with four bands of brownish black, that near the base of the tail obscure. Young, head and neck behind, and upper part of the back, dark rufous, striped with brownish black; other upper parts umber brown; under parts white, with longitudinal narrow stripes of brown; wings and tail as in adult; upper tail-coverts tipped with white. “Iris, carmine,” Dr. Gambel.
Dimensions. Total length, male, 15 inches, wing 9, tail 8 inches.
Hab. California (Dr. Gambel, Mr. Bell); Mexico (Mr. Pease); Eastern? Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.
Obs. Similar for the greater part, to A. Cooperii, but smaller, and with the tail and tarsi comparatively longer, and with the fine red of the under parts more uniform, the white stripes being nearly obsolete. Several specimens of both adults and young were brought in the fine collection made in California by Mr. J. G. Bell, of New York, and it was previously brought from the same country by Dr. Gambel, and from Mexico by Mr. Pease.
Bill short, strong, upper mandible curved, and with its edges festooned; wings long and broad; tail moderate, rather short; legs and feet moderate; toes rather short. General form heavy; flight vigorous, and capable of being long continued, but not so swift as in preceding sub-families. This group comprises about twenty-five species of all countries.
Bill short, wide at base, edges of upper mandible festooned; nostrils large, ovate; wings long, wide, fourth and fifth quills usually longest; tail moderate, rather wide; tarsi rather long, and having transverse scales before and behind, but laterally small circular scales; toes moderate, rather short; claws strong. Comprises about twenty species, inhabiting all countries.
Vieill., Ois. d’Am. Sept., I. pl. 6, 14; Wils., Am. Orn., VI. pl. 52, figs. 1, 2; Aud., B. of Am., pl. 51, oct. ed., I. pl. 7; Gosse, Ill. B. of Jamaica, pl. 2; Lembeye, B. of Cuba, pl. 1. fig. 1.
Adult. Tail bright rufous, narrowly tipped with white, and having a subterminal band of black. Entire upper parts dark umber-brown; lighter, and with fulvous edgings, on the head and neck; scapulars, with a generally concealed basal portion, white, with brown bands; upper tail-coverts generally yellowish white, but frequently on their inner webs of the same rufous as the tail, and with brown spots and bands. Throat white, with brown longitudinal stripes; other under-parts yellowish-white or fawn color, with many longitudinal lines and spots of reddish-brown, tinged with fulvous, most numerous on the breast, and an irregular band across the abdomen of oblong longitudinal spots and narrow transverse bars; under tail-coverts and tibiæ generally immaculate, but the latter frequently spotted, and transversely barred with light rufous. Under surface of the tail silvery white. Young. Tail, in many specimens, pale-brown, with numerous bands of a deeper shade of the same color, and tipped with white; upper tail-coverts white, banded more or less regularly with dark-brown; other upper parts dark umber-brown, many feathers narrowly edged with white and with partially concealed spots of white. Entire under-parts white, sides of the breast with large oval spots of brown, and a wide irregular band on the abdomen composed of similar spots of the same color; tibiæ and under tail-coverts with irregular bands and sagittate spots of brown.
Dimensions. Female—total length, 22 to 24 inches; wing, 15½ to 16; tail, 8½ inches. Male—19½ to 21 inches; wing, 14; tail, 7½ to 8 inches.
Hab. Eastern North America; Fur-countries (Richardson); Wisconsin (Hoy); Florida (Bartram); Jamaica (Gosse); Cuba (Lembeye).
Obs. One of the most common and easily recognized of the North American species. It is diffused throughout the eastern portion of the continent, but in the west appears to be replaced by the succeeding.
Faun. Bor. Am. Birds, pl. 27; Aud., B. of Am., pl. 372, oct. ed., I. pl. 6.
General form and appearance very similar to B. borealis, but rather larger, and with the wings longer; neck and upper part of the breast brown; tibiæ light rufous, with transverse bars of a deeper shade of the same. Tail bright rufous, narrowly tipped with white, and with a subterminal band of black; upper tail-coverts rufous and white; entire other upper parts dark umber-brown, with partially concealed ashy-white and pale fulvous bands and spots on the scapulars and shorter quills. Lower breast white, tinged and with irregular transverse bands of pale-rufous; abdomen with a broad irregular transverse band composed of longitudinal lines and oblong spots of brown, and tinged with rufous. This abdominal band nearly obsolete in some specimens. Under tail-coverts yellowish-white; under surface of the tail silvery-white, with a reddish shade.
Young. Upper parts dark-brown, edged and spotted with white tinged with rufous; tail above ashy-brown, with dark-brown bands, and tipped with white. Under parts white, on the sides and abdomen with large oblong spots of brown; tibiæ and under tail-coverts white, with transverse bars and large spots of brown.
Dimensions. Female—total length, 23 to 26 inches; wing, 16½ to 17; tail, 9 to 10 inches. Male—smaller.
Hab. Northern and western regions—Rocky Mountains and Oregon (Dr. Townsend); California (Mr. Bell); Wisconsin (Dr. Roy); Mexico (Rivoli collection).
Obs. Nearly related to B. borealis, and much resembling it. We have never seen, however, specimens of the latter with the brown space on the neck and breast so extensive as in specimens of the present species brought from California by Mr. Bell, nor with the transverse bars on the abdomen, as is usual in this species, and as represented in the plate in Fauna Boreali Americana. It is brought frequently in collections from Western America; and the young may be Buteo ventralis. Gould.
Vieill., Ois. d’Am. Sept., pl. 5; Wils., Am. Orn., pl. 53, fig. 3; Aud., B. of Am., pl. 56, 71, oct. ed., I. pl. 9; Nat. Hist. N. Y., pl. 6, fig. 13.
Smaller than the preceding. Adult. Wing-coverts, from its flexure to the body, fine bright rufous; breast and other inferior parts paler rufous; many feathers with narrow lines of black on their shafts, and spotted and barred transversely with white; the latter color predominating on the under tail-coverts. Entire upper-parts brown; on the head and neck much mixed with rufous, and with white spots on the wing-coverts and shorter quills and rump; quills brownish-black, spotted with white on their outer webs, and with bars of a lighter shade of the same color and of white on their inner webs; tail brownish-black, with about five transverse bands of white, and tipped with white. Younger. Under parts with large sagittate spots and wide bars of rufous, tinged with brown. Young. Entire under-parts yellowish-white, with longitudinal stripes and oblong spots of brown; throat brown; upper parts brown, with partially concealed spots and bars of white; quills dark-brown, with wide bars of rufous, and white on both webs; tail brown, with many bands of pale brownish and rufous-white; tail beneath silvery-white.
Dimensions. Female—total length, 22 to 24 inches; wing, 14; tail, 9 inches. Male—total length, 18 to 20 inches; wing, 11½ to 12; tail, 8 inches.
Hab. North America; Oregon (Townsend); California (Heermann); Wisconsin (Hoy); South Carolina (Gibbes).
Obs. An abundant and rather difficult species to the student. The young bird, which is Falco hyemalis Gm., is the more usually met with, and bears very little resemblance to the adult.
Female. Rather smaller than B. lineatus; wings long and pointed; third primary longest; tail moderate, rounded. Entire upper-parts dark brown, with a purplish-bronze lustre, especially on the primaries; plumage of the head and neck behind, and some feathers on the back, edged and tipped with yellowish-white; upper tail-coverts yellowish-white, with transverse bars of brown. Tail above brownish-cinereous, and having about ten narrow bands of brownish-black, and tipped with white. Under parts pale yellowish-white, or fawn color, with a few sagittate spots of brown on the sides, and a stripe of brown running downwards from the corner of the mouth. Forehead white; under wing-coverts yellowish-white. Cere, legs, and irides, yellow.
Younger? Upper parts very dark-brown, or nearly black, with purplish lustre. Under parts with almost every feather having a large spot of brownish-black, which color predominates on the breast, so as to present a nearly uniform color with the upper parts; throat with narrow stripes of the same color. Flanks and inferior wing-coverts with circular and oval spots of white. Tibiæ dark-brown, with transverse bars and circular and oval spots of reddish-white. Upper tail-coverts reddish-white, with their outer edges brown, and with transverse stripes of the same. Under tail-coverts yellowish-white, with transverse stripes of brown. Forehead white; cheeks yellowish-white. Stripes from the corners of the mouth wide and conspicuous. Sex unknown.
Dimensions. Female—total length (of skin), 19½ inches; wing, 15; tail, 8 inches, and about an inch longer than the folded wings.
Hab. Wisconsin. Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.
Obs. This is a well-marked species, especially in the stage of plumage described above as probably the younger, in which the nearly uniformly brownish-black breast and large spots of the same color on the other under-parts, are striking characters. The first-described plumage resembles that of B. pennsylvanicus. We have seen only the two specimens now described, both of which are from the State of Wisconsin.
Wils., Am. Orn., VI. pl. 54, fig. 1; Aud., B. of Am., pl. 91, oct. ed. I. pl. 10; Nat. Hist. N. Y. Orn., pl. 5, fig. 11.
Smaller than either of the preceding. Adult. Entire upper-parts dark umber-brown; feathers on the back of the neck white at their bases. Throat white, with narrow longitudinal lines of brown, and with a patch of brown on each side, running from the base of the lower mandible; breast with a wide band composed of large cordate and sagittate spots and transverse stripes of reddish-ferruginous tinged with ashy; other under-parts white, with numerous sagittate spots disposed to form transverse bands on the lower part of the breast, flanks, abdomen, and tibiæ. In some specimens, in winter plumage, the ferruginous color predominates on all the under parts, except the under tail-coverts, and all the feathers have large circular spots on each edge; under tail-coverts white. Tail dark-brown, narrowly tipped with white, and with one broad band of white and several other narrower bands nearer the base. Quills brownish-black, widely bordered with pure white on their inner webs. Young. Plumage above umber-brown, edged on the head and back of the neck with fulvous, and with many feathers on other upper-parts edged with the same color and ashy-white; upper tail-coverts spotted with pure white. Under-parts white, generally tinged with yellowish, many feathers having oblong and lanceolate longitudinal stripes and spots of brown; a stripe of brown on each side of the neck from the base of the under mandible. Tail brown, with several bands of a darker shade of the same and of white on the inner webs of the feathers and narrowly tipped with white.
Dimensions. Female—total length, 17 to 18 inches; wing, 11; tail, 6½ to 7 inches. Male—smaller.
Hab. Eastern North America; Florida (Abadie); Long Island (Giraud); Wisconsin (Hoy). Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.
Obs. This handsome little species is of rather unusual occurrence in the middle and southern States, though according to Dr. Hoy it is abundant in Wisconsin. It is an easily recognized species, though presenting considerable variations in color, according to age and season.
The names Falco pennsylvanicus and Falco latissimus occur in different copies of the sixth volume of the original edition of Wilson (1812), and the probability is that the latter was substituted by the author, in the later printed copies, after he had noticed that he had previously applied the name pennsylvanicus to another species. Of the last three volumes only second editions were published under the editorship of Mr. Ord; the seventh and eighth in 1824, and the ninth in 1825. The statement in Hall’s edition, I. p. 92 (Philadelphia, 1828), that the name latissimus was given by Mr. Ord, is therefore incorrect. That gentleman, now President of the Philadelphia Academy, and of whose advice and instruction we have the great advantage and gratification, informs us that he had nothing to do with either of the names to which we here allude.
Aud., B. of Am., pl. 86, oct. ed. I. pl. 8.
“Head very large; neck short; body robust. Feet of ordinary length; tarsus a little compressed, scutellate before and behind, reticularly scaly on the sides; toes scutellate above, scaly on the sides, tubercular and scabrous beneath; claws curved, roundish, very acute. Plumage compact; feathers of the head and neck short and rounded; tibial feathers elongated, and loose at the tips. Wings long; first quill short, third and fifth equal; first primaries cut out on the inner web towards the end. Tail longish, ample, of twelve broad, rounded feathers. Bill light-blue, black towards the end; cere and angles of the mouth yellowish-green. Iris light yellowish-brown. Feet dull greenish yellow; claws black.
“The general color of the plumage is deep chocolate-brown; the under-parts lighter, the feathers there being margined with light-brown. Tail lighter than the back, and rather narrowly barred with brownish-black, the tips brownish-red. Under wing-coverts whitish, spotted with deep-brown. Length, 21 inches; extent of wings, 45; bill, along the back, 1½; along the gap, from the tip of the lower mandible, 1½; tarsus, 1¾.” (Aud., as above.)
Adult? Brownish-black, with a purplish lustre; occipital feathers white at base, and a few white feathers in front at the base of the bill. Under wing-coverts black, with circular spots and irregular bars of white. Quills white on their inner webs for about two-thirds of their length, and transversely barred with pale ashy-brown. Tail above brownish black, tinged with ashy, and with about six to eight bars of black, the widest of which is next to the tip, which is white. Inner webs of the tail-feathers, except the two in the middle, white, mottled with ashy, and with the transverse bars conspicuous; tail beneath ashy-white. Plumage of the back and entire under-parts of the body white at base, and having concealed pairs of circular and oval spots of white most obvious on the abdomen and under tail-coverts. Bill and legs light-colored.
Dimensions. Total length (of skin), 20 inches; wing, 16½; tail, 9½ inches.
Hab. Louisiana (Audubon); Mexico? Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.
Obs. The only bird that we have ever seen which appeared to be this species is that described above as probably the adult. It is one of two or three species of black Buzzards which inhabit Mexico and Central America, and we suspect it of being identical with B. albonotatus (Gray, as above), though of that species there is no sufficient description published.
Form robust; wings rather long, third quill longest, secondaries emarginate at their tips; quills unusually broad; tail rather short, slightly rounded; tarsi feathered in front below the joint, naked behind, and having in front about ten transverse scales. Under wing-coverts and under tail-coverts white, the former striped longitudinally with pale-ferruginous, and some of them transversely with dark-brown, the latter with transverse stripes of pale reddish-brown. Plumage of the tibiæ dark-ferruginous mixed with brown. Throat and a few feathers in front white, with narrow lines of black. Entire other plumage above and below dark-brown, nearly every feather having a darker or nearly black line on its shaft. Quills above brown, with a purple lustre, beneath pale-ashy, with their shafts white, and irregularly barred with white near their bases. Tail above dark-brown, with an ashy or hoary tinge, and having about ten obscure bands of a darker shade of the same color, beneath nearly white, with conspicuous bands of brown, the widest of which is next to the tip, which is paler. Tarsi and feet yellow. Sex unknown.
Dimensions. Total length (of skin), 17 inches; wing, 14½; tail, 7½ inches.
Hab. Canada (Dr. M’Culloch). Spec. in Mus. Nat. Hist. Soc. of Montreal, Canada.
Obs. Of this very remarkable little Buzzard one specimen only has come under our notice, and is that above described. It belongs to the collection of the Natural History Society of Montreal, by whom it was most kindly sent to Philadelphia for examination at our request, through the good offices of M. M’Culloch, M. D., a distinguished physician and naturalist of that city.
In color, though a true Buteo, this bird differs from any known American species, and more resembles in that respect some stages of the young plumage of Circus hudsonius or C. æruginosus. It was captured in the vicinity of Montreal.
General characters very similar to those of Buteo, but with the tarsus densely feathered to the base of the toes, but more or less naked on the hind part. Toes short; claws moderate; wings rather long. Contains about six species, of both continents.
Wilson, Am. Orn., VI. pl. 53, figs. 1, 2; Faun. Bor. Am., Birds, pl. 28; Aud., B. of Am., pl. 422, oct. ed. I. pl. 11.
Large, and rather heavy; wings long; tarsi feathered, a narrow space naked behind; toes naked, and rather short. Adult. Entire plumage glossy black, in many specimens with a brown tinge; forehead, throat, and a large space on the head behind, mixed with white. Tail with one well-defined band of white, and irregularly marked towards the base with the same color. Quills with their inner webs white, most readily seen on the under-surface of the wing. Some specimens have several well-defined bands of white in the tail. Others have the entire plumage dark chocolate-brown, with the head more or less striped with yellowish-white and reddish-yellow. Cere and legs yellow.
Younger. Upper-parts light umber-brown, with the feathers more or less edged with yellowish-white and reddish-yellow; abdomen with a broad transverse band of brownish-black; other under-parts pale yellowish-white, longitudinally striped on the neck and breast with brownish-black; wings and tail brown, tinged with cinereous; quills for the greater part of their length white on their inner webs; tail-feathers white at their bases. Plumage of the tibiæ and tarsi pale reddish-yellow, spotted with brown. Other specimens have the throat and breast with the black color predominating.
Young male? Entire upper-parts light ashy-brown, more or less mixed with white, especially on the head and fulvous; under-parts yellowish white and dark-brown, the latter assuming the form of longitudinal stripes on the breast, and narrow transverse stripes on the abdomen; tarsi and tibiæ dark-brown, striped with dull-white and reddish; greater part of quills and tail white. Cere and legs yellow.
Dimensions. Total length, female, 22 to 24 inches; wing, 17 to 17½; tail, 9 inches. Male—total length, about 20 to 21 inches; wing, 16 to 16½; tail, 8 to 8½ inches.
Hab. Entire North America; Oregon (Townsend). Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.
Obs. This is one of the most abundant of the birds of this family, in all the States on the Atlantic, and is one of the most variable in plumage. Two stages of plumage—the adult black bird and the young, when the wide abdominal band of black is well defined—are easily recognized; but there are a variety of other plumages which are difficult to refer to their proper age, sex, or season. Although the stage of plumage described above as perhaps that of the young male (figured by Wilson, pl. 53, fig. 2, and Aud., pl. 422, fig. 2) may be correct, we regard it as by no means established, and in fact are inclined to suspect that there are two distinct species confounded.
Wils., Am. Orn., IV. pl. 33, fig. 1; Aud., B. of Am., pl. 166; Gould, B. of Eur., I. pl. 15.
Very similar in general form to the preceding. Above light umber-brown; many feathers, especially of the head and neck behind, edged with yellowish white and fulvous. A wide transverse band or belt on the abdomen brownish-black; other under-parts yellowish-white, with a few longitudinal lines and spots of brownish-black; quills ashy-brown, with a large basal portion of their inner webs white; tail at its base white, which is also the color of the greater part of the inner webs of its feathers almost to the tip; terminal portion light umber-brown; tip white. Plumage of the tibiæ and tarsi pale reddish-yellow, striped longitudinally with brown.
Dimensions. Female—total length, 21 to 23 inches; wing, 16 to 17; tail, 9 inches. Male—smaller.
Hab. All of North America; Europe; California (Mr. Bell); Wisconsin (Dr. Hoy). Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.
Obs. The bird here inserted as identical with the European Archibuteo lagopus has been usually regarded, by late naturalists, as the young of the species immediately preceding. Such may be the truth of the case, and our only reason for giving it thus is, that after careful comparison and examination of numerous specimens, we find it absolutely impossible to distinguish it, by any character whatever, from the European bird. Whether two birds can be exactly the same in all their characters, so far as presented by specimens, and yet be distinct in species, is a question that we are not prepared at present practically to decide. We regard it as quite possible, however, that the present may be the young of A. sancti-johannis. It is one of the most common species of its family. Mr. Bell’s specimens from California are, so far as we can see, exactly the same as the European bird, differing from eastern specimens only in very unimportant characters.
Larger than either of the two preceding. Bill wide at base; wings long; tarsi feathered in front to the toes, naked and scaled behind. Adult. Tibiæ and tarsi bright ferruginous, with transverse stripes of black, irregular and indistinct on the latter. Entire upper-parts striped longitudinally with dark-brown and light-rufous, the latter color predominating on the rump and lesser wing-coverts. Quills ashy-brown, lighter on their outer webs, and with the greater part of their inner webs white; tail above reddish-white, mottled with ashy-brown; tail beneath pure yellowish-white. Under-parts of the body white, with narrow longitudinal lines and dashes on the breast of reddish-brown and narrow irregular transverse lines of the same color, and black on the abdomen; flanks and axillary feathers (under the wing) fine bright-ferruginous.
Young. Entire upper-parts dark umber-brown, very slightly mixed with fulvous; upper tail-coverts white, spotted with brown; entire under-parts pure white, with a few narrow longitudinal lines and dashes of brown on the breast, and arrow-heads of the same color on the sides and abdomen, larger and more numerous on the flanks; tibiæ white; tarsi dark-brown, mixed with white; under wing-coverts and edges of wings white.
Dimensions. Female—total length, about 23 to 25 inches; wing, 17 to 17½; tail, 9 inches. Young—smaller.
Hab. California (Mr. E. M. Kern); Sacramento valley (Dr. Heermann). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.
Obs. This is one of the handsomest of the American Falconidæ. It is also one of the largest of the Buzzards, and easily distinguished from the preceding species. Of the recent American travellers, Mr. E. M. Kern was the first who brought home this fine species; since which adults, young birds, and eggs, have been collected by Dr. Heermann. It is not rare in California.
Size various, usually medium or small. Bill short, weak, hooked, and acute; wings and tail usually long; tarsi and feet slender, frequently short. The birds of this sub-family habitually feed on reptiles and other small animals, and are deficient in the strength and courage of those of the other sub-families. About thirty-five species of all countries belong to this group.
Bill short and weak; wings and tail very long, the former pointed, the latter deeply forked. Tarsi very short; toes short. Contains not more than three species, two of which are American, and the other African.
Cat. Car, pl. 4; Buff., Pl. Enl., 72; Wilson, Am. Orn., VI., pl. 51, fig. 3; Aud., B. of Am., pl. 72, oct. ed. I. pl. 18; Gould, B. of Eur., 1. pl. 30; De Kay, Nat. Hist. N. Y., Birds, pl. 7, fig. 15.
Wings and tail long, the latter deeply forked. Head and neck, inferior wing-coverts, secondary quills at their bases, and entire under-parts, white. Back, wings, and tail, black, with a metallic lustre, purple on the back and lesser wing-coverts, green and blue on other parts. Tarsi and feet greenish-blue; bill horn color.
Dimensions. Female—total length, 23 to 25 inches; wing, 16 to 17½; tail, 14 inches. Male—rather smaller.
Hab. Southern States on the Atlantic, and centrally northward to Wisconsin; Texas (Mr. Audubon); South Carolina (Prof. Gibbes); Wisconsin (Dr. Hoy); Pennsylvania (Mr. A. F. Darley); Jamaica (Mr. Gosse). Accidental in Europe. Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.