Chapter X (4)

♀ (23,546, Monte Verde, Cuba, July 16, 1861; Charles Wright). Differing from the adult in the same respects as does that of _sparverius_, the chief differences consisting in the deeper chestnut of the tail, and broader and blacker bars above. Rufous beneath, with numerous sagittate spots of black; lower tail-coverts with subterminal bars, and lining of the wing with sparse streaks of the same. Plumage generally with a blended appearance. Wing-formula, 2, 3–4=1. Wing, 7.40; tail, 4.85; tarsus, 1.30; middle toe, .90. Another specimen (No. 23,545, Monte Verde, July 17, 1861; C. Wright) is much the same, but has distinct spots of black on the abdomen, and tear-shaped marking of the same on the scapulars. The young female of this species bears a remarkably close resemblance to the young of _T. punctatus_, Cuv., of Madagascar, agreeing almost entirely with it in colors, with the exception of those on the tail, the bars on which are black and ash, instead of black and rufous. Whether it be considered a distinct species or not, the _T. sparveroides_ certainly grades into the _T. sparverius_, in the very near relation of an aberrant condition of the adult phase of the latter, noticed in specimens from Florida and adjoining portions of the South American and Gulf coast, and the young normal or usual plumage of the former. As is well known, the young ♂ _sparveroides_ has a reddish and also more or less barred or spotted back, as in the male of all the races of _sparverius_ at all ages; the intermediate or transition dress of the young male showing cloudings of plumbeous in the rufous, indicative of the coming uniform plumbeous of perfect maturity. Now, knowing that a wholly plumbeous dorsal region in the adult, and wholly or mostly rufous dorsal region in the young male, are characteristic features of _T. sparveroides_, we are somewhat surprised to find in adult males of _T. sparverius_ var. _isabellinus_ from Florida, a greater or less mixture of plumbeous feathers in various parts of the dorsal region, particularly in the rump and upper tail-coverts. Many specimens from this locality show another approach to the young male of _sparveroides_ in the deep, unspotted rufous of the lower parts, sometimes the throat only being white. A young male of _sparveroides_ from Cuba, and an adult male of _sparverius_ said to be from Cuba, are at a cursory glance not distinguishable; a close comparison, however, will disclose the fact, that in the former, the badly defined head-markings, nearly obsolete black markings on the wings (including basal space of the secondaries, which is conspicuously and sharply defined in the other specimen), and the blurred character of the bars over inner webs of primaries, remain as characters distinguishing the former. The lateral tail-feather, too, has its outer web deep rufous, while it is white, black-spotted, in the specimen of _sparverius_.

_List of Specimens examined._—Nat. Mus., 14; Bost. Soc., 3; Philad., 1; G. N. Lawrence, 4; R. Ridgway, 1. Total, 23.

_Measurements._—♂. Wing, 6.90–7.10; tail, 4.80–5.10; culmen, .50; tarsus, 1.45–1.48; middle toe, .90. Specimens, 4. ♀. Wing, 7.00–7.50; tail, 5.00–5.15; culmen, .50; tarsus, 1.35–1.40; middle toe, .88–.90. Specimens, 3.

[64] _Falco sparverius_, var. _australis_. _Falco gracilis_ (not of LESSON!), SWAINS. An. Menag. p. 281, 1838. _Falco sparverius_ (not of LINNÆUS!), TSCHUDI, Faun. Per. An. p. 110. _Tinnunculus sparverius_ (not of VIEILLOT!), DARW. Zoöl. Beag. pt. iii, 29. _Bidens sparverius_, SPIX, Av. Bras. I, 16. _Bidens dominicensis_ (not _F. dominicensis_ of GMELIN!), SPIX, Av. Bras. I, 16. _Tinnunculus dominicensis_, STRICKL. Orn. Syn. I, 100, 1855 (in part). _T. sparverius_, var. _australis_, RIDGWAY, P. A. N. S. Phil. Dec. 1870, 149.

_Hab._ Most of continental South America, except the North Atlantic and the Caribbean coasts, where replaced by the var. _isabellinus_. In Chile and Western Brazil, mixed with, but not replaced by, var. ? _cinnamominus_.

_Adult_ ♂ (20,937, Parana; Coll. of the U. S. Paraguay Exp.). Similar to var. _sparverius_. Head above with the rufous entirely wanting; rufous of the plumage more vinaceous; black bars of the scapulars almost transversely cordate, and nearer the end of the feather; black zone of the tail only .60 of an inch wide. Beneath continuously white, with elliptical spots or streaks of pure black on sides, becoming somewhat circular on the flanks. Wing, 7.70; tail, 5.30; tarsus, 1.40; middle toe, .92; culmen, .48. In all respects, except the points described, resembling the true _sparverius_ of North America, of which it is nothing more than a geographical race, and a not very strongly marked one, though the differences indicated are very constant.

♀ (50,942, Brazil; Sr. Don Fred. Albuquerque). Very similar to _sparverius_; the rufous, equally pale, is, however, more vinaceous; the tail decidedly less rufescent. The black bars are about the same, but on the tail there are thirteen, and the subterminal one is scarcely broader than the rest; the lateral tail-feather has the bars only on inner web, and here almost wanting. Head above as in the male, being without the rufous tinge on the vertex. Beneath yellowish-white, about like _sparverius_; the whole breast and side with numerous longitudinal dashes of deep brown, similar in form to _sparverius_, but of much deeper tint. Inner web of longest primary with twelve transverse bars of white, these scarcely exceeding the dusky ones. Wing-formula, 2, 3–4–1. Wing, 7.80; tail, 5.20; tarsus, 1.30; middle toe, .95; culmen, .55.

_Juv._ ♂ (16,570, Bogota; W. Evans). Differing from the adult in deeper rufous and broader black bars; those on the tail twelve in number, more than doubling in width those of the adult; markings beneath more blended, darker brown. Differs from young of var. _sparverius_ in much lighter rufous above; less purely black bars; entire absence of rufous on crown, and narrower shaft-streaks here; less ochraceous-white beneath, and less blended markings.

_List of Specimens examined._—Nat. Mus., 16; Bost. Soc., 3; Philad. Acad., 16; N. Y. Mus., 4; Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 2; R. Ridgway, 1. Total, 42.

_Measurements._—♂. Wing, 6.80–7.90; tail, 4.75–5.90; culmen, .48–.50; tarsus, 1.40–1.50; middle toe, .90–1.00. Specimens, 17. ♀. Wing, 7.20–8.15; tail, 5.10–5.80; culmen, .48–.52; tarsus, 1.20–1.52; middle toe, .90. Specimens, 25.

[65] _Falco sparverius_, var. _dominicensis_. _Accipiter_ (_Æsalon_) _dominicensis_, BRISSON, Orn. I, 389, pl. xxxii. f. 2, 1760. _Falco dominicensis_, GMELIN, Syst. Nat. p. 285, 1789. _Tinnunculus dominicensis_, STRICKL. Orn. Syn. I, 100, 1855 (in part only). _Tinnunculus sparverius_, var. _dominicensis_, RIDGWAY, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sc. Philad. Dec. 1870, 149.

_Hab._ Lesser Antilles north to Porto Rico and St. Thomas.

_Adult_ ♂ (52,428, St. Bartholemi; Professor Sundevall). Resembling var. _isabellinus_ in general appearance, but darker, and more heavily barred above; beneath much more spotted. Head above with blackish shaft-streaks and vertex with a patch of rufous; this, however, somewhat restricted. Rufous above, with numerous broad bars of black, these running continuously across and extending anteriorly to the neck; rump even, with a few very small, transversely sagittate specks of the same. Tail crossed by nine perfectly regular and sharply defined narrow bands of pure black, anterior to the subterminal zone, which is about .80 of an inch wide; outer feather white, tinged medially with rufous, barred with black to the base. Black spotting in dark cinereous of the wing very exaggerated in comparison with var. _sparverius_. Markings beneath very numerous, the sides being thickly marked with large cordate or nearly circular spots of black, these growing larger toward the flanks. The rufous of the breast is about as in var. _isabellinus_. Wing, 6.80; tail, 5.10; tarsus, 1.40; middle toe, .94; culmen, .53. Wing-formula, 3–2–4, 5, 6–1.

♀ (52,429, St. Bartholemi; Professor Sundevall). Black bands above exceeding in breadth the rufous ones; each feather of the head above with a sharp medial streak of black. Tail with twelve bands of black; outer feather approaching white. Markings beneath pure black, as in the male; their course longitudinal anteriorly, on the sides more circular, transverse on the flanks. Wing, 6.70; tail, 5.00; tarsus, 1.30; middle toe, 1.00; culmen, .53. Wing-formula, 3, 2–4–1, 5.

The male selected for the type is an extreme example; no others have the character of the variety presented in a degree as exaggerated as this specimen. Nos. 362 (♂) and 170 (♀) of the Bryant Collection from Porto Rico, and No. 36,554 (♂, St. Thomas; Robert Swift), may be taken as more perfect, or rather as average representatives of the variety. These two males are almost exactly similar. They have the back as strongly barred as in the type, and the black spots on the rump are as noticeable; but the tail, instead of being crossed by regular, perfectly continuous, sharply defined bands, has these broader and more broken, being indicated only by spots along the edge; they also decrease in width toward the base. The Porto Rico specimen has very much ashy-white between the two last black bars, this being found on the four lateral feathers; between the next two, on three feathers, etc. The other specimen, however, is destitute of this ashy-white, although the outer web of the lateral feather is pure white,—spotted, however, with black. In the Porto Rico specimen the breast is as deeply ochraceous as in the _isabellinus_ style; but the spots are larger and more numerous even than in any examples of _sparverius_. A female from here differs from the type only in a few unimportant points, the principal difference being in the markings beneath. In this there is a general ochraceous wash on the lower parts, the markings linear only on the breast, becoming tear-shaped and circular on the sides, and transverse on the flanks; the red patch on the crown is quite extensive. In the whole series the third quill is longest, and the bill is, in all, considerably longer than in any specimen of _sparverius_ excepting those from Florida. Another female from St. Thomas (36,551; Robert Swift) is almost exactly like the one from Porto Rico; the rufous of the crown covers nearly the whole top of the head, and is quite bright. In a series of skins belonging to Mr. Newton, deposited in the S. I. Collection, we find a pair of this variety from the island of St. Croix, W. I. They are perfectly typical examples. The male (“May 2, 1857, B. B.”) has the large black spots of the side transversely cordate; the bands on the tail are broken into spots on edges of the feathers; the female (“s. p. 227, B. 6”) is in nearly all respects like the specimen described.

_List of Specimens examined._—Nat. Mus., 7; Bost. Soc., 3; A. Newton, 2. Total, 10.

_Measurements._—♂. Wing, 6.20–6.80; tail, 4.50–5.50; culmen, .45–.55; tarsus, 1.50; middle toe, .95. Specimens, 5. ♀. Wing, 6.80–7.10; tail, 5.50–5.75; culmen, .55; tarsus, 1.50; middle toe, 1.05. Specimens, 5.

[66] _Falco sparverius_, var. _cinnamominus_. _Falco cinnamominus_, SWAINSON, An. Menag. p. 281, 1838. _Pœcilornis cinnamominus_, KAUP, Monog. Falc. Cont. Orn. 1850, p. 53 (under _P. sparverius_). _Tinnunculus cinnamomeus_, GRAY, Gen. B. fol. sp. 11, 1844; List B. Brit. Mus. p. 62.—BONAP. Consp. Av. p. 27.—STRICKL. Orn. Syn. I, 100, 1855. _Tinnunculus_ (_sparverius_ var.?) _cinnamominus_, RIDGWAY, P. A. N. S. Phil. Dec. 1870, 149.

_Hab._ Chile and Western Brazil.

_Adult_ ♂ (48,821, Valdivia, Chile, January, 1864; Nat. Mus. of Chile, Dr. Philippi, Dir.). Somewhat like var. _australis_; in fact, resembling this in general appearance. Head above, however, very dark dull plumbeous, with very distinct shaft-streaks of black. Back and scapulars sparsely barred with black, the bars broadest posteriorly. Tail much brighter rufous than the back; continuous rufous to the extreme tip; a very narrow subterminal band of black, .30 of an inch wide, crossing about .55 of an inch from the tip, making the terminal deep rufous, nearly twice as wide as the black; toward the outer feathers the black is thrown into a spot on each web, scarcely touching the shaft; on the lateral feather the black is lacking entirely, the inner web being continuous rufous, the outer paler, inclining to ochraceous-white. Primaries conspicuously white terminally; inner webs white, with transverse bars of dusky; there being on the longest (second) ten spaces of white, these more than twice the width of the dusky bars; lining of the wing creamy-white, with minute streaks of black sparsely distributed. Forehead more hoary than the crown; lores white. Ear-coverts, neck, and entire lower parts, continuous dull white; breast with a few minute black streaks; flanks with more expanded tear-shaped dashes of the same. The “mustache” is very conspicuous, as are also the oral, cervical, and nuchal markings. Wing-formula, 2=3–1, 4. Wing, 7.40; tail, 5.15; tarsus, 1.40; middle toe, .95; culmen, .50. No. 50,944 (Brazil; Sr. Don Fred. Albuquerque) is exactly similar.

_List of Specimens examined._—Nat. Mus., 2.

_Measurements._—♂. Wing, 7.40–7.70; tail, 5.50; culmen, .50; tarsus, 1.40–1.42; middle toe, .95. Specimens, 2.

[67] _Polyborus tharus._ _Falco tharus_, MOLINA, Sp. Chil. p. 264, 343; 1782. _Polyborus tharus_, STRICKL. Orn. Syn. I, 19, 1855. _Falco cheriway_, JACQ. Beyträg. p. 17, pl. iv, 1784. _Polyborus cheriway_, RICH. SCHOMB. Vers. Faun. Brit. Guiana, p. 741, 1840. _Falco plancus_, GMEL. Syst. Nat. p. 257, 1789. _Falco brasiliensis_, GMEL. Syst. Nat. p. 262, 1789 (et AUCT.). _Polyborus brasiliensis_, VIG. Zoöl. Journ. I, 320, 1824. _Caracara vulgaris_, LESS. Tr. Orn. p. 34; 1831. _Polyborus vulgaris_, SPIX. Av. Bras. I, pl. i, a.

_Adult male_ (21,850, South America; T. R. Peale). Forehead, crown, occiput, and wings brownish-black; middle wing-coverts fainter, with obscure whitish bars; primaries white in the middle (just beyond the coverts), this portion having obsolete washes of grayish, in form of faintly indicated transverse bars; basal three-fourths of the tail white, with numerous narrow, washed bars of grayish, these becoming more faint toward the base; tail with a terminal zone of black, about two inches broad. Cheeks, chin, and throat soiled white, unvaried; body in general (including neck, breast, sides, abdomen, back, and scapulars) transversely barred with black and white, the white prevailing anteriorly; beneath, the black bars grow gradually wider posteriorly, giving the tibiæ and femorals a uniformly blackish appearance; on the back and scapulars also the black bars exceed the white in width, but they are very sharply defined, regular, and continuous; rump, upper and lower tail-coverts, white, with numerous faint bars of grayish. Under side of the wing black; outer six primaries white in the middle portion, beyond the coverts, this patch extending obliquely across; secondaries rather broadly barred on basal two-thirds with black and white, leaving the terminal third unvaried. Third quill longest; fourth scarcely shorter; second intermediate between fifth and sixth; first a little longer than seventh. Wing, 16.00; tail, 6.50; tarsus, 3.50; middle toe, 1.75.

_Young_ (13,923, South America; T. R. Peale). Forehead, crown, occiput, nape, back, wings, and lower parts dark sepia-brown; feathers of the breast, sides, and abdomen marked centrally with a broad longitudinal stripe of soiled fulvous-white; those of nape and back more obsoletely striped, and variegated irregularly at ends with the same; wing-coverts passing terminally into pale brownish; secondaries obscurely barred with the same. Cheeks, chin, and throat unvariegated soiled white; tibial feathers with shaft-stripes of pale fulvous. Rump, tail-coverts, and tail as in adult. Several specimens from Buenos Ayres (Conchitas; Wm. H. Hudson), and one from Paraguay (59,236; T. J. Page, U. S. N.), have the black of the lower part of the abdomen and flanks quite continuous. There is never, however, in South American specimens, an approach to the peculiar characters of _auduboni_, as defined.

_List of Specimens examined._—Nat. Mus., 7; Bost. Soc., 4; Philad. Acad., 3; N. Y. Mus., 3. Total, 17.

_Measurements._—♂. Wing, 16.00–17.20; tail, 10.00–11.00; culmen, 1.20–1.30; tarsus, 3.70–3.90; middle toe, 1.75–2.15. Specimens, 2. ♀. Wing, 17.70; tail, 10.00; culmen, 1.41; tarsus, 4.20; middle toe, 2.30. Specimens, 1. Sex? Wing, 15.50; tail, 10.00; culmen, 1.30; tarsus, 3.65; middle toe, 1.90. Smallest of 4.

[68] _Pandion haliætus_, var. _haliætus_ (LINN.). _Aquila haliætus_, BRISS. Orn. I, 440, pl. xxxiv. _Falco haliætus_, LINN. S. N. I, 1766, 129. _Pandion haliætus_, LESS. Man. Orn. I, 86. _Falco arundinaceus_, GMEL. 1733. _Pandion fluvialis_, SAVIGN. Descr. Egyp. I, 96, 1809. _Pandion alticeps_ and _planiceps_, BREHM, Vög. Deutschl. 33, 1831. _Pandion indicus_, HODGS. Cat. Gray’s Misc. 81.

_Specimens examined._—Nat. Mus., 3; Bost. Soc., 2; Philad. Acad., 3; other sources, 10. Total, 18.

_Measurements._—♂. Wing, 18.00–18.50; tail, 8.50–8.70; culmen, 1.20–1.30; tarsus, 1.95–2.00; middle toe, 1.50–1.80. Specimens, 4. ♀. Wing, 19.50–20.50; tail, 9.00–9.50; culmen, 1.35–1.45; tarsus, 2.00–2.10; middle toe, 1.85–1.90. Specimens, 4.

Five specimens from the Palæarctic Region (including one from Japan and one from Morocco) compare with three from India as follows:—

Palæarctic specimens: Wing, 18.70–20.40; tail, 9.00–10.00; culmen, 1.28–1.35; tarsus, 2.15; middle toe, 1.75–1.80.

Indian specimens: Wing, 17.00–19.75; tail, 7.00–8.75; culmen, 1.28–1.35; tarsus, 2.00; middle toe, 1.75.

The Indian specimens are slightly darker than the northern ones. In the northern series, the smallest is one from Morocco. This has the breast as white as any Australian example, and has the head and neck above as light as in many of them. The Japanese specimen is exactly like European ones in color, but is intermediate between them and the Indian ones in size, measuring, wing, 17.50; tail, 8.80; culmen, 1.30; tarsus, 2.15; middle toe, 1.60. The smallest in the series is one from Celebes, in the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy at Cambridge (No. 12,196). This one measures, wing, 15.20; tail, 7.50; culmen, 1.20; tarsus, 2.00; and middle toe, 1.60. In colors it approaches very closely to var. _leucocephalus_.

[69] _Pandion haliætus_, var. _leucocephalus_ (GOULD). _Pandion fluviatilis_, var. 1, LESS. Tr. Orn. 1831, 46. _Pandion leucocephalus_, GOULD, Synop. B. Austr. I, 1832, 22, pl. vi. _Pandion gouldi_, KAUP, Isis, 1847.

_Specimens examined._—Philad. Acad., 8 (Gould’s types); Boston Soc., 1. Total, 9.

[70] McGillivray describes this plumage as that of the young, and states that the sexes are colored alike; but my observations upon freshly killed specimens, as well as skins, induce me to believe that the sexes are differently colored in their adult plumage, as described above, and the young are not different from the adults. I may be mistaken in adopting this view, but a male killed by myself, in the white-bordered plumage, had scarlet irides and other unmistakable characteristics of perfect maturity.

[71] _Elanus leucurus_, var. _axillaris_ (LATHAM). _Falco axillaris_, LATH.—N. S. WALES, Draw. I. No. 49, 1801. _Circus axillaris_, VIEILL. N. D. IV, 453. _Elanus axillaris_, GRAY, Ann. N. H. XI, 189.—IB. Hand List, I, 28, No. 261. _Elanus notatus_, GOULD, B. Aust. I, pl. xxiii.

_Specimens examined._—Nat. Mus., 3; Boston Soc., 1.

[72] _Elanus leucurus_, var. _scriptus_ (GOULD). _Elanus scriptus_, GOULD, P. Z. S. pl. x, 1842, 80.—BONAP. Consp. 22.—KAUP, Monog. Falc. in Jardine’s Coutr. Orn. 1850, 60.—GRAY, Hand List, I, 28, No. 262.

_Specimens examined._—Mus. Comp. Zoöl., Cambridge, 1.

[73] _Elanus cæruleus_, var. _cæruleus_ (DESFONTAINES). _Falco cæruleus_, DESFONT. Mém. Ac. Sc. 1787, 503, pl. xv. _Elanus cæruleus_, STRICKL. Orn. Syn. I, 1855, 137. _Falco melanopterus_, DAUD. Tr. Orn. II, 1800, 152. _Elanus melanopterus_, LEACH, Zoöl. Misc. pl. cxxii.—GOULD, B. Eur. pl. xxxi.—GRAY, Hand List, I, 28, No. 258. _Falco clamosus_, SHAW, Zoöl. VII, 200. _Elanus cæsius_, SAVIG. Descr. Egyp. pt. i, p. 98. _Elanoides cæsius_, VIEILL. Enc. Méth. III, 1206.

_Specimens examined._—Nat. Mus., 2 (Southern Europe).

[74] _Elanus cæruleus_, var. _minor_ (BONAP.). _Falco vociferus_, LATH. Ind. Orn. 1790, 16. _? Falco sonninensis_, LATH. Ind. Orn. Supp. 1801, 12. _Elanus minor_, BONAP. Consp. 1850, p. 22.—GRAY, Hand List, I, 28, No. 259.

_Specimens examined._—Am. Mus., N. Y., 4 (2 India, 2 Africa); Boston Soc., 4 (3 Juv.); Mus. Comp. Zoöl., Cambridge, 2. Total, 10.

[75] _Ictinia plumbea_ (GMEL.). _Falco plumbeus_, GMEL. S. N. 1789, 283. _Ictinia plumbea_, VIEILL. 1816, 24.—GRAY, Hand List, I. _Nertus plumbeus_, BOIE, Isis, 1828, 314. _Pœcilopteryx plumbeus_, KAUP, Ueb. Falk. Mus. Senck. 1845, 258. _Milvus cenchris_, VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. 1807, pl. x. _Buteo cenchris_, CUV. Règ. An. (ed. 2), I, 1829, 337.

_Specimens examined._—National Museum, 4; Philadelphia Academy, 4; New York Museum, 4; Boston Society, 4; Museum Comp. Zoöl., 1; Cab. G. N. Lawrence, 2; Coll. R. Ridgway, 1. Total, 20.

[76] _Rostrhamus sociabilis_, var. _sociabilis_ (VIEILL.). _Herpetotheres sociabilis_, VIEILL. Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat. XVIII, 318, 1818; Enc. Méth. III, 1248. _Rostrhamus sociabilis_, D’ORB. Voy. Am. Merid. II. 73, 1835; Synop. Av. Mag. Zoöl. 1850. GRAY, List B. Brit. Mus. p. 47; Gen. and Subgen. Brit. Mus. p. 6.—KAUP, Monog. Falc. Cont. Orn. 1850, 78.—STRICKL. Orn. Syn. I, 136, 1855. _Falco rostrhamus_, MAX. Beiträg. III. 182, 1830. _Cymindis leucopygus_, SPIX, Av. Bras. I, 7, pl. ii, 1824. _Rostrhamus niger_, LESS. Tr. Orn. p. 56, 1831.

HAB. South and Middle America, from Buenos Ayres to Eastern Mexico (Mirador).

Localities: Guatemala (SCL. Ibis, I, 220); Ecuador (SCLATER, 1860, 289); Panama (LAWRENCE, VII, 1861, 316); La Plata (BURMEISTER, II, 1861, 435); Brazil (PELZ. Orn. Bras. I, 6); Buenos Ayres (SCL. & SALV. 1869, 160).

The numerous South American specimens which have come under my notice all differ in the respects pointed out in the synopsis from West Indian and Floridan examples. The following descriptions of a pair of the southern race will show the average characters of var. _sociabilis_.

_Adult male_ (Baranquilla, Ecuador, CROWTHER; Coll. G. N. Lawrence). Differing from the Florida male in being much darker; general color plumbeous-black, instead of glaucous-plumbeous; head, wings, and tail deep black. Wing-formula, 3=4, 5–2, 6–7, 1. Wing, 12.90; tail, 7.80; culmen, 1.05; tarsus, 1.65; middle toe, 1.45; hind toe, .80; its claw, 1.10.

_Adult female_, with traces of immature plumage (53,081, Conchitas, Buenos Ayres, September, 1867; William H. Hudson). Whole plumage (except tail-coverts) brownish-black, deepest black on head and tail; more brownish on wing-coverts and slightly glaucous on the neck. All the feathers, except those of the head, neck, and back, bordered inconspicuously with paler; these edgings more distinct and rufescent on the lesser wing-coverts; tibiæ tinged with rusty. Wing-formula, 3=4, 5–2–6–7, 1. Wing, 14.00; tail, 7.60; culmen, 1.00; tarsus, 1.70; middle toe, 1.60; hind toe, .95; its claw, 1.20.

A specimen from Mexico, supposed to be from Mirador (No. 44,444), is dark in color, like South American examples; the bill is unusually large, the chord of the culmen measuring 1.25; wing, 14.25; tail, 8.30; tarsus, 1.70; middle toe, 1.65.

_Specimens examined._—National Museum, 2; Philadelphia Academy, 7; New York Museum, 2; Cab. G. N. Lawrence, 2; Museum, Cambridge, 1; Boston Society, 3. Total, 17.

[77] _Rostrhamus hamatus_ (VIEILL.). _Falco hamatus_, TEMM. Pl. Col. 61, 231, 1899.—ILLIG. Mus. Berol. _Buteo hamatus_, VIEILL. Enc. Méth. III, 1223. _Rostrhamus tæniurus_, CAB. J. für. Orn. 1854, p. lxxx. No. 16,634 (Amazon River; Lieutenant Herndon). Entirely uniform plumbeous, with a glaucous cast, becoming darker on the head, and black on primaries and tail; tail perfectly even, with an obscurely indicated, narrow, interrupted band of dark plumbeous across its middle portion. A specimen in the collection of the Boston Society has the bands on the tail more conspicuous, and agrees with the _R. tæniurus_ of Cabanis. I have seen no young specimens of this species, but, judging from Temminck’s figure, cited above, they are very similar to the same stage of _R. sociabilis_.

[78] The females and immature males are hard to distinguish, and from the unsatisfactory character of the material at my command I have not succeeded in finding reliable characters by which these plumages of the three races may be distinguished. Consequently I give only the characters of the adult males, in defining the distinctions between them.

[79] _Circus cyaneus_, var. _cyaneus_ (LINN.). _Falco cyaneus_, LINN. S. N. 1766, 126. _Circus cyaneus_, LESS. Man. Orn. I, 105.—GOULD, B. Europe, pl. xxxiii.—BONAP. List, 22.—DEGL. Orn. Eur. I, 74.—STRICKL. Orn. Syn. I, 147.—GRAY, Hand List, I, 37, No. 364. _Falco pygargus_, LINN. S. N. 1766, 126. _Circus pygargus_, STEPH. Zoöl. XIII, pl. ii, 41.

_Specimens examined._—National Museum, 3; Philadelphia Academy, 4; New York Museum, 1; Boston Society, 5. Total, 13.

[80] _Circus cyaneus_, var. _cinereus_ (VIEILL.). _Circus cinereus_, VIEILL. Nouv. Dict. H. N. IV, 1816, 454.—DARWIN, Zoöl. Beag. pt. iii, 30.—D’ORB. Synop. Av. Mag. Zool. 1837.—STRICKL. Orn. Syn. I, 156.—GRAY, Hand List, I, 37, No. 368. _Circus campestris_, VIEILL. Enc. Méth. III, 1823, 1213. _Circus frenatus_, LICHT. Verz. Doubl. 1823, p. 62. _Circus histrionicus_, QUOY, Zoöl. Journ. III, 1826, 271.

_Specimens examined._—National Museum, 7; Philadelphia Academy, 5; Boston Society, 3; Museum Cambridge, 1; Cab. G. N. Lawrence, 1. Total, 17.

_Measurements._—♂. Wing, 12.40–13.25; tail, 8.50–9.00; culmen, .62–.63; tarsus, 2.42–2.60; middle toe, 1.20–1.25. Specimens, 11. ♀. Wing, 13.75–14.50; tail, 9.30–10.50; culmen, .75–.80; tarsus, 2.80–3.00; middle toe, 1.40–1.50. Specimens, 5.

[81] Not admissible as having been bestowed by a non-binomial author, and of prior date to the commencement of binomial nomenclature.

[82] In the collection of the National Museum are two specimens of _cooperi_, var. _gundlachi_, in the young plumage. They differ from the young of var. cooperi merely in darker colors, the brown markings being larger and more numerous, as well as deeper in tint. That their character may be better understood, I furnish the following more detailed descriptions:—

_Young male_ (41,129, Cuba, Dr. Gundlach). Above dark, blackish vandyke-brown, the feathers bordered inconspicuously with dark rusty; tail dull slate, narrowly tipped with ashy-white, and crossed with four broad bands of dusky, almost equal to the slate; beneath white, much tinged on breast and tibiæ with reddish-ochraceous; thickly striped with umber-brown, except on crissum; the streaks on throat narrow and cuneate, those on breast broad, and on sides changing into broad transverse spots or bars; tibiæ thickly spotted transversely with more reddish, nearly rufous, brown; larger lower tail-coverts with narrow shaft-streaks of black. Occiput showing much concealed white; the ends of the feathers deep black. Wing, 8.60; tail, 7.50; culmen, .68; tarsus, 2.50; middle toe, 1.70.

_Young female_ (41,128, Cuba, Dr. Gundlach). Similar, but more thickly striped beneath, the dark markings about equalling the white in extent; whole sides with large transverse spots of umber, cuneate along shaft. Wing, 10.50; tail, 9.50.

The synonomy of this race is as follows: _Accipiter gundlachi_, LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. VII, May, 1860, 252.—GUND. Rep’t, 1865, 224.—SCL. & SALV. Ex. Orn. I, 170.—GRAY, Hand List, I, 33, No. 319. The _N. fuscus_, var. _fringilloides_ (VIGORS), of Cuba, I have not seen. Its synonomy stands as follows: _Accipiter fringilloides_, VIG. Zoöl. Journ. III, 1826, 534.—LAWR. Ann. N. Y. Lyc. VII, 1860, 255 (with descriptions and synonomy).—GUNDL. Rep’t, 1865, 224.—GRAY, Hand List, I, 32, No. 311.

[83] _Astur palumbarius_, var. _palumbarius_ (LINN.). _Falco palumbarius_, LINN. S. N. 1766, 130. _Astur_ p., CUV. Règ. An. (ed. 1), I, 320; et AUCT. _Hab._ Europe and Asia.

_Specimens examined._—National Museum, 2; Philadelphia Academy, 10; Boston Society, 5; Museum Comp. Zoöl., Cambridge, 1; New York Museum, 1. Total, 19.

_Measurements._—♂. Wing, 12.25–13.70; tail, 9.40–10.00; culmen, .80; tarsus, 3.00; middle toe, 1.80. ♀. Wing, 13.80–14.50; tail, 10.10–10.90; culmen, .90–.95; tarsus, 2.80–3.15; middle toe, 2.05–2.20.

[84] _Asturina nitida_, var. _nitida_ (LATH.). _Falco nitidus_, LATH. Ind. Orn. I, 40.—DAUD.—TEMM.—SPIX. _Astur n._, D’ORB. Voy. Ois. p. 95.—BURM. Syst. Neb. II, 68.—LEOTAUD, Ois. Trin. p. 46.—GRAY.—VIG.—STEPHENS.—LESS.—D’ORB. _Asturina n._, BONAP. Consp. p. 30.—CABAN. in SCHOMB. Guian. III, 737.—PELZ. Orn. Bras. p. 3.—SCL. & SALV. P. Z. S. 1864, 369; 1867, 589; 1868, 173; 1860, 288; 1869, 130.—KAUP.—LAWR. Ann. N. Y. Lyc. VII, 316. _Dædalion n._, LESS. Tr. Orn. p. 65. _Asturina cinerea_, VIEILL. Anal. 24, 68; Nouv. Dict. III, 41; Enc. Méth. III, 1260; Gal. Ois. pl. xx.—VIG. Zoöl. J. I, 324, 327.—STEPH. Zoöl. XIII, pt. ii. _Cymindis c._, LESS. Man. Orn. I, 91. _Astur striolatus_, CUV. Règ. An. (ed. 2), I, 332.

_Specimens examined._—Philadelphia Academy, 8; New York Museum, 1; Cab. G. N. Lawrence, 3; Boston Society, 4 (Brazil); Museum, Cambridge, 2 (Panama). Total, 18.

_Measurements._—Sex not indicated. Wing, 9.80–10.20; tail, 7.00–8.00; culmen, .80–.90; tarsus, 2.55–2.78; middle toe, 1.60–1.65.

[85] The type of _Craxirex_, GOULD (Voyage of Beagle, 1838, 22), is the _Buteo galapagoensis_, GOULD, a species strictly congeneric with _Buteo borealis_.

[86] _Falco unicinctus_, TEMM. Pl. Col. 313, 1820. _Morphnus unicinctus_, LESS. Man. Orn. I, 1828, 90. _Astur unicinctus_, CUV. Règ. An. (ed. 2), I, 1829, 332.—STRICKL. Orn. Syn. I, 221.—KAUP, Monog. Falc. 1850, p. 66. _Buteo unicinctus_, GRAY, List B. Brit. Mus. 18.—IB. Hand List, I, 7, No. 55. _Nisus unicinctus_, LESS. Tr. Orn. p. 61. _Hypomorphnus unicinctus_, TSCHUDI, Fauna Per. pp. 17, 85. _Spizageranus unicinctus_, KAUP, Ueb. Senck. 1845, 260. _Urubitinga unicincta_, LAFR. Rev. Zoöl. 1849, 99.—PELZ. Orn. Bras. I, 1868, 3, No. 10.—IB. IV, 1871, 394. _Polyborus tæniurus_, TSCHUDI, Av. Consp. Wiegm. Arch. 1844, 264.—IB. Fauna Per. pl. ii, _Juv._ It seems that the South American birds of this species never attain the simple tricolored plumage assumed by the adult of the North American form, Temminck’s figure (Pl. Col. 313) representing the nearest approach to it that I have seen, in a large series of adult specimens. The following descriptions show the average adult of var. _unicinctus_:—

_Adult male_ (No. 13,908, Chile; Lieutenant Gilliss). Resembling the immature of var. _harrisi_, as described on p. 1569 (No. 56,763). Primaries edged terminally with whitish; inner webs of tail-feathers mottled whitish for their basal half, not showing the regular transverse bars seen in the immature of var. _harrisi_; under surface of primaries almost wholly white, becoming ashy, barred with dusky, towards their ends. Wing, 12.00; tail, 8.30; tarsus, 2.90; middle toe, 1.60. _Adult female_ (No. 13,907, Chile; Lieutenant Gilliss). Similar to No. 13,908, but the tibiæ more strongly barred. Wing, 12.50; tail, 8.30.

_Specimens examined._—National Museum, 9; Philadelphia Academy, 9; Boston Society, 4; New York Museum, 1. Total, 23.

_Measurements._—♂. Wing, 11.65–13.15; tail, 9.00–10.10; culmen, .82–1.00; tarsus, 2.78–3.40; middle toe, 1.52–1.75. Specimens, 8. ♀. Wing, 12.50–14.60; tail, 9.20–10.50; culmen, .90–1.02; tarsus, 3.10–3.40; middle toe, 1.60–1.85. Specimens, 6.

[87] “Nest in oak-tree, in edge of wood, by lake.”

[88] “Nest twenty-five feet high, in oak-tree.”

[89] “Nest at top of broken poplar-tree near lake.”

[90] _Buteo borealis_, var. _costaricensis_, RIDGWAY. _Buteo borealis_ (all citations from Central America).

SP. CHAR. _Adult_ (No. 30,409, Costa Rica; Dr. A. von Frantzius). Head, neck, and upper parts continuous, unvariegated brownish-black; whole throat white, with a few cuneate spots of black; black of the neck meeting narrowly across the jugulum; pectoral area immaculate pure white; upper part of abdomen with an imperfect belt of distinct narrow lanceolate strips of black; whole posterior lower parts fine pinkish ochraceous, unvariegated; tibiæ deepest, inclining to delicate ochraceous-rufous; upper tail-coverts immaculate rufous. Tail as in var. _borealis_. Wing, 16.00; tail, 9.00; tarsus, 3.20; middle toe, 1.80. Bill very high, abruptly curved. Wing-formula, 4, 5, 3, 6, 2; first, shortest.

This very curious variety is that which departs furthest from the true _borealis_; not only the details, but in a measure the pattern, of coloration, being greatly modified. The perfectly continuous pure brownish-black of the whole head and neck, sharply contrasted with the white throat-patch, are features which distinguish it from every other variety of this group; while the deep rufous tibiæ, and almost utter absence of transverse bars beneath, are also very distinctive characters.

The second of the two Costa Rican specimens before me (No. 33,507; J. Carmiol) differs from the type in having the white of the pectoral area clouded by an encroachment of the blackish of the neck; and across the abdomen is a deep wash of the same. The tail-feathers exhibit indications of spots along the shafts, as in var. _calurus_; while the upper tail-coverts have a very few bars of blackish.

_Young_ (37,338, Tres Marias Islands, January; Col. A. J. Grayson). Similar to the adult in general appearance, but differing in the following particulars: Tail deep umber, with about twelve or thirteen narrow bands of black, and very narrowly tipped with whitish; lateral lower parts thickly spotted with blackish, and tibiæ spotted transversely with the same; lower tail-coverts with distant bars of blackish. Upper tail-coverts blackish-brown barred with white, this not touching the shaft.

HAB. Central America and Southwestern Mexico; Costa Rica, Veragua, and Tres Marias Islands (Mus. S. I.).

Localities: (?) Guatemala (SCL. Ibis, I, 217, _B. borealis_); Costa Rica (LAWR. IX, 133, “var. _montanus_”).

_List of Specimens Examined._—National Museum, 4.

Measurements much the same as in the other varieties.

[91] _Archibuteo lagopus_ (BRUNN.), GRAY. _Falco lagopus_, BRUNN. Orn. Bor. p. 4, sp. 15 (1764); PENN., GMEL., LATH., SIEMSS., DAUD., SHAW, NAUM., MEYER. _Buteo lagopus_, STEPH. et AUCT. _Butaëtes lagopus_, BONAP., GRAY, BAILLY, MORR., REICH. _Archibuteo lagopus_, GRAY, Gen. B. (ed. 2), p. 3; 1841, et AUCT. (Not of American writers, nor when used for the American bird!) _Hab._ North and Central Europe; Northern Africa.

A comparison of the American birds with series of sixteen European specimens shows constant differences in the birds of the two continents,—quite enough to establish a difference of race, although not of specific value. The European bird is much the darker beneath, the blackish-brown spots on jugulum and breast being blended, or suffused, so as to give the predominating tint to this region.

These differences, though constant and quite appreciable on comparison, are very slight, while the proportions are about the same. A young specimen of the European style differs from American in entire absence of rufous tinge to white of head, neck, and lower parts, less complete band across the abdomen, immaculate white ear-coverts, cheeks, and throat; the tibiæ and tarsi are also much more thickly spotted than in the American young; there is also more white on base of outer surface of primaries.

_List of Specimens examined._—Nat. Mus., 6; Philad. Acad., 8; Bost. Soc., 2. Total, 16.

_Measurements._—♂. Wing, 16.00; tail, 8.70; culmen, .80; tarsus, 2.30; middle toe, 1.30. Specimens, 1. ♀. Wing, 18.20; tail, 9.75; culmen, .95; tarsus, 2.60; middle toe, 1.50. Specimens, 1.

[92] _Aquila chrysaëtus_, var. _chrysaëtus_ (LINN.). _Aquila valeria_, ALBIN, B, II. pl. ii. _Aquila chrysaëtus_, BRISS. Orn. I, 431, et AUCT. _Falco chrysaëtus_, LINN. S. N. 1760, 125. _Aquila melanaëtus_, BRISS. Orn. I, 434. _Falco melanaëtus_, LINN. S. N. 124. _Aquila regia_, LESS. Tr. Orn. _Falco fulvus_, LINN. S. N. 1760, 125 (_young_).

_List of Specimens examined._—Nat. Mus., 4; Philad. Acad., 14; Bost. Soc., 2; Mus. Cambridge, 1; Mus. J. C. Sharp, Jr., 1. Total, 22.

_Measurements._—♂. Wing, 23.80–24.30; tail, 14.00–14.50; culmen, 1.68–1.70; tarsus, 3.40; middle toe, 2.40–2.45. Specimens, 2. ♀. Wing, 25.00–25.50; tail, 14.00–14.50; culmen, 1.80–1.85; tarsus, 3.80–4.10; middle toe, 2.85–3.10. Specimens, 3.

[93] _Haliaëtus pelagicus_ (PALL.). _Falco pelagicus_, PALLAS, Zoog. Ros. As. I, 343, pl. ix. _Aquila p._, KITTL., BOIE. _Haliaëtus p._, SIEB., GRAY, CASS. B. Cal. & Tex. I, pp. 31, 110, pi. vi (♀); IB. Birds N. Am. 1858, 42. _Thalassoaëtus_, KAUP, JARD. _Falco leucopterus_, TEMM. _Falco imperator_, KITTL. _Hab._ Northeastern Asia, Japan (SIEBOLD); Kamschatka.

[94] Established by Vigors, in 1825.

[95] From the _Vulturinæ_ are excluded the genera _Gypætus_ and _Neophron_, each of which probably constitutes a subfamily by itself.

[96] _Sarcorhamphus_, DUMÉRIL, 1806. (Type, _Vultur gryphus_, LINN.)

[97] _Cathartes_, ILLIGER, 1811. (Type, _Vultur papa_, LINN.) _Gypagus_, VIEILL. 1816. (Same type.) _Gyparchus_, GLOG. 1842. (Same type.) _Sarcorhamphus_, AUCT. (in part).

[98] _Rhinogryphus burrovianus_ (CASSIN). _Cathartes burrovianus_, CASS. P. A. N. S. II, 1845, 212.—IB. Birds Am. 1858, 1.—GRAY, Hand List, I, 1869, 3, No. 19.—COUES, Key, 1872, 222. _Cathartes urubitinga_, NATT. VON PELZELN, Sitz-ber. Wien. Ak. 1861, 7.—GURNEY, Cat. Rapt. B. 1864, 46.—SCL. & SALV. P. Z. S. 1867, 589 (Amazon).—PELZ. Orn. Bras. I, 1868, 1 (Brazil).—ELLIOT, Illustr. Birds N. Am. II.—GRAY, Hand List, I, 1869, 3, No. 20.

SP. CHAR. Very similar to _R. aura_, but neck feathered behind up to the occiput, and the plumage uniformly black, the feathers of the back and wings without brown borders. _Adult_ (34,984, Brazil; NATTERER). Bill white; naked skin of the head and throat reddish. Wing-formula, 3, 2, 4=1. Wing, 18.50; tail, 9.00; culmen, .90; cere above, 1.20; tarsus, 2.10; middle toe, 2.25; outer, 1.35; inner, 1.10; posterior, .80. _Hab._ Eastern Tropical America. Brazil (PELZELN & NATTERER); Amazon (SCL. & SALV.); ?? Jamaica (SHARPE); ?? Vera Cruz, Mexico (CASSIN).

[99] _Columba fasciata_, var. _albilinea_. _Columba albilinea_, “GRAY,” BONAP. Consp. VI, 1857, 51. _Chlorœnas a._ =Cab.= J. 1869, 211.

[100] _Columba araucana_, LESS. Voy. de la Coq. Ois. t. 40. _Columba denisea_, TEMM. Pl. Col. 502. _C. meridionalis_, KING.

[101] _Columba caribæa_, GMELIN, S. N. 1788, 773.—GOSSE, B. Jam. 291.—MARCH, P. A. N. S. Philad. 1863, 301. _Patagiœnas c._ SCL. P. Z. S. 1861, 80.—REICH. Handb. 65, tab. 230, _b_, f. 3362.

[102] _Columba rufina_, (TEMM.) REICH. Handb. 62, tab. 222, f. 2583, 2584.—LAWR. Ann. N. Y. Lyc. 1861, VII, 333, No. 281 (Panama).—SCL. & SALV. P. Z. S. 1866, 198 (Amazon).—IB. 1867, 590.—SCL. Ibis, I, 222 (Guatemala).—SALV. P. Z. S. 1867, 159 (Veragua).—IB. 1870, 115 (Costa Rica).—REINH. Vid. Med. Nat. For. 1870, 59 (Brazil).

[103] _Columba corensis_, GMEL. S. N. I, 1878, 783.—SALLÉ, P. Z. S. 1857, 235 (Santo Domingo).—NEWTON, Ibis I, 252 (Santa Cruz).—CAB. J. IV, 108 (Cuba).—TAYLOR, Ibis, 1864, 171 (St. Thomas). _Patagiænas c._ REICHENB. Handb. tab. 222, f. 2581.

[104] _Columba inornata_, VIGORS, Pr. Zoöl. Soc. 1847, 37.—DE LA SAGRA, Voy. l’Ile de Cuba, Ois. t. 28.—CAB. J. IV, 106 (Cuba).—SCL. P. Z. S. 1861, 80.—REICHENB. Handb. 62, tab. 222, f. 2582.—GUNDL. Repert. Cub. I, 1866, 298.—MARCH, P. A. N. S. 1863, 301 (Jamaica). _C. rufina_, GOSSE, B. Jam. (not _C. rufina_ of TEMMINCK!).

[105] _Columba solitaria_, MCCALL, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phila. III, July, 1847, 233. “Length, 13 inches 9 lines, etc. Alar extent, 23 inches. Wing, from the flexure, 7 inches 5 lines. Tarsus, 1 inch; middle toe, 1 inch 2 lines; first toe, 9 lines, and longer than the third; nails light flesh-color; feet and legs deep red. Iris dark orange. Bill above, 1 inch 1 line, but feathered to within 5 lines of the tip; reddish near the base, whitish near the tip. Head chocolate-blue. Throat chocolate-white. Neck and breast bluish-chocolate with brilliant reflections. Back, belly, flanks, under wing-coverts, and greater exterior wing-coverts, light red color, the last faintly bordered with white. Lesser wing-coverts chocolate-red, forming a bright shoulder-spot of elliptical shape. Quill-feathers dusky, tinged with lead-color on the outer vanes. Third primary longest. Upper and under tail-coverts bluish lead-color. Tail, 5 inches, slightly rounded, of twelve feathers; dusky.”

[106] _Zenaida hypoleuca_, “GRAY,” BONAP. Consp. II, 1857, 83.

[107] _Zenaidura yucatanensis_, LAWR. Ann. N. Y. IX, 1869. This bird is so exactly intermediate between the _Z. carolinensis_ and _Zenaida amabilis_, as to lead us to strongly suspect it is a hybrid between the two. With the _Z. carolinensis_ it agrees only in possessing fourteen tail-feathers; the coloration and size and shape of the bill being exactly those of _Z. amabilis_, while the tail-feathers are intermediate in length and shape between those of the two species. The colors differ from those of _Z. amabilis_ only in being of a just appreciably lighter shade, there being the same broad white tip to the secondaries, brilliant steel-blue sub-auricular spot, and deep reddish crissum, characterizing the _Z. amabilis_, as distinguished from _Z. carolinensis_.

[108] _Zenaidura graysoni_, LAWR. Ann. N. Y. Lyc. February, 1871, 17. A very distinct species, remarkable for its large, very long, and much depressed bill, and deep ferruginous, instead of pinkish-vinaceous, lower parts. The specimens are unfortunately all young birds, though they are fully grown.

[109] _Scardafella squamosa._ _Columba squamosa_, TEMM. Pig. et Gal. I, 59. A specimen of this species from Venezuela has the black bars everywhere twice as broad as in Brazilian examples.

[110] _Chamæpelia griseola_, SPIX, Av. Bras. t. 75, a, f. 2.—REINH. Vid. Med. Nat. For. 1870, 56 (Brazil).

[111] _Oreopeleia montana._ _Columba montana_, LINN. S. N. 1758.

[112] Messrs. Sclater and Salvin distinguish the allied species as follows:—

_O. poliocephala_, Wagler. Brownish-olive; the head plumbeous, lighter beneath; the feathers of the throat darker, and marked with gray; middle of belly milky-white; the flanks and crissum tinged with rufous; tail bronzed-green, the five lateral feathers broadly tipped with buff. Length, 24.00; wing, 10.50; tail, 11.50; tarsus, 3.20. _Hab._ Table-land of Mexico to west coast (Manzanillo, etc.).

_O. vetula_, Wagler. Brownish-olive; the head plumbeous, lighter beneath; the middle of the belly tinged with ochraceous or rusty; tail, bronzed green; the five lateral feathers tipped with white or buff. Length, 21.00; wing, 7.70; tail, 9.00; tarsus, 2.50. _Hab._ Texas to Honduras, on east side of Mexico.

A near ally to _O. vetula_ is the _O. leucogastra_, Gould (S. & S. p. 539) from Pacific coast of Central America. This differs in pure white of under parts. The size also is considerably less.

[113] _Meleagris ocellatus_, TEMM., CABOT, Pr. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. I, 73.

[114] As with nearly all the animals which have been brought under domestication by man, the true origin of the common barnyard Turkey was for a long time a matter of uncertainty. As a well-known writer (Martin) observes: “So involved in obscurity is the early history of the Turkey, and so ignorant do the writers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries appear to have been about it, that they have regarded it as a bird known to the ancients by the name of _Meleagris_ (really the Guinea-fowl or Pintado), a mistake which was not cleared up till the middle of the eighteenth century. The appellation of “turkey,” which this bird bears in England, arose from the supposition that it came originally from the country of that name,—an idea entirely erroneous, as it owes its origin to the New World. Mexico was first discovered by Grigalva in 1518. Oviedo speaks of the Turkey as a kind of Peacock abounding in New Spain, which had already in 1526 been transported in a domestic state to the West India Islands and the _Spanish Main_, where it was kept by the Christian colonists.”

It is reported to have been introduced into England in 1541. In 1573 it had become the Christmas fare of the farmer.

Among the luxuries belonging to the high condition of civilization exhibited by the Mexican nation at the time of the Spanish conquest was the possession by Montezuma of one of the most extensive zoölogical gardens on record, numbering nearly all the animals of that country, with others brought at much expense from great distances, and it is stated that Turkeys were supplied as food in large numbers daily to the beasts of prey in the menagerie of the Mexican emperor. No idea can be formed at the present day of the date when this bird was first reclaimed in Mexico from its wild condition, although probably it had been known in a domestic state for many centuries. There can, however, be no question of the fact that it was habitually reared by the Mexicans at the time of the conquest, and introduced from Mexico or New Spain into Europe early in the sixteenth century, either directly or from the West India Islands, into which it had been previously carried.

It has, however, always been a matter of surprise that the Wild Turkey of eastern North America did not assimilate more closely to the domestic bird in color, habits, and by interbreeding, although until recently no suspicion was entertained that they might belong to different species. Such, however, now appears to be the fact, as I will endeavor to show.

The proposition I present is, that there are two species, or at least races, of Wild Turkey in North America,—one confined to the more eastern and southern United States, the other to the southern Rocky Mountains and adjacent part of Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona; that the latter extends along Eastern Mexico as far south at least as Orizaba, and that it is from this Mexican species, and not from that of eastern North America, that this domestic Turkey is derived.

In the Proceedings of the Zoölogical Society of London for 1856 (page 61), Mr. Gould characterizes as new a Wild Turkey from the mines of Real del Norte, in Mexico, under the name of _Meleagris mexicana_, and is the first to suggest that it is derived from the domesticated bird, and not from the common Wild Turkey of eastern North America, on which he retains the name of _M. gallopavo_, of Linnæus. He stated that the peculiarities of the new species consist chiefly in the creamy-white tips of the tail-feathers and of the upper tail-coverts, with some other points of minor importance. I suggest that the Wild Turkey of New Mexico, as referred to by various writers, belongs to this new species, and not to the _M. gallopavo_.

In 1858, in the Report on the birds collected by the Pacific Railroad Expedition (Vol. IX, p. 618, of the series of Pacific Railroad Reports), I referred to this subject, and established the existence in North America of two species of Wild Turkey,—one belonging to eastern, the other to middle, North America. Much additional material has since corroborated this view, and while the _M. gallopavo_ is found along the Missouri River and eastward, and extends into Eastern Texas, the other is now known to belong to the Llano Estacado and other parts of Western Texas, to New Mexico, and to Arizona.

The recent acquisition of a fine male Turkey by the Smithsonian Institution from the vicinity of Mount Orizaba, in Mexico, and its comparison with a skin from Santa Fé, enables me to assert the positive identity of our Western and the Mexican species, and one readily separable from the better known wild bird of the eastern United States. There is now little reason to doubt that the true origin of the barnyard Turkey is to be sought for in the Mexican species, and not in the North American,—an hypothesis which explains the fact of the difficulty in establishing a cross between our wild and tame birds.

The presumed differences between the two species may be briefly indicated as consisting principally in the creamy or fulvous white of the tips of the tail-feathers and of the feathers overlying the base of the tail and of the hinder part of the back of the Mexican and typical barnyard birds, as compared with the decided chestnut-brown of the same parts in the eastern Wild Turkey. There are other differences, but they are less evident, and those indicated will readily serve to distinguish the two species.

The true wild bird of eastern North America always has the tips of the tail-feathers and upper tail-covert of a chestnut-brown color; the Mexican species and its descendant of the barnyard never exhibit this feature.

Sometimes this domesticated bird is exactly like its wild original, differing only in rather greater development of the fatty lobes of the head and neck; and of this an example may be seen in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution.

There is a variety of the domestic bird which is entirely black, sometimes even including the larger quills, which in both species are naturally banded with white, and in this there may be little or no trace of any bands at the end of the tail and of its upper coverts; but whatever may be the asseverations of the sportsman, the poultry-dealer, or the farmer, as to the “wildness” of any particular bird, or what the circumstances attendant upon its capture or death by trapping, shooting, or otherwise, implicit confidence may be placed in the test above indicated, namely: if the tips of tail and tail-covert are chestnut-brown, the specimen belongs to the _M. gallopavo_ or “Wild Turkey”; if the same part is either entirely black or any shade of whitish or light fulvous, then it is a “barnyard” fowl.

The following extract from a letter written by Dr. Sartorius, the accomplished naturalist, to whom the Smithsonian Institution owes the specimen of the wild Mexican bird referred to above, will be read with interest.

“MIRADOR, STATE OF VERA CRUZ, January 20, 1867.

“I am entirely of your opinion in regard to the origin of the domestic Turkey, as our wild bird differs from the tame only in the less amount of development of the fatty lobes of the head and neck.

“_Meleagris mexicana_ is tolerably abundant in this neighborhood, belonging more especially to the sparsely overgrown savannas between the region of the oaks and the coast, the Tierra Caliente or ‘warm region’ proper. It is a very shy bird, living in families like the wild Geese, and keeping sentinels on the watch whenever the flock is feeding in the vicinity of threatened danger. It derives its nourishment from plants and insects on the ground, and scratches with its feet to aid in the search for food. In running, the swiftest dog cannot overtake it. It is not very fond of taking to flight, but its powers in this respect are not behind those of any of the allied forms. Its breeding-season is in March or April, when the hens separate from the males to reunite into families again in September. Their general habits during this season are much as with the domestic bird, although I cannot say whether they inflate and swell themselves out in the same manner. I am, however, inclined to doubt it, as the specimen I have handled did not have the tips of the wing-feathers worn away as in the barn-yard breed. The female lays from three to twelve brownish-red, spotted eggs in the high grain, and hatches them out in thirty days, as is the case with the tame Turkey. The flesh of the wild bird is dry, but very sweet, like the tame fowl, and like the latter is dark on the back and legs, and white on the breast and wings.

“The white meat of the flesh on the breast of the Mexican and the tame Turkey, as compared with the darker meat of the common North American wild bird, is a fact of importance to be taken into consideration.

“The exact distribution of the Mexican Wild Turkey southward and westward is not ascertained, nor is it known that it occupies the western portion of the Mexican country. In Yucatan and Northern Guatemala it is replaced by a third species, the Ocellated Turkey (_Meleagris ocellata_), rather less in size, but far more striking in appearance, being marked in the tail with spots somewhat like the ‘eyes’ of the tail of the Peacock. The three species thus belong to Mexico and northern parts of Central America.

“Very truly yours,

“C. SARTORIUS.”

[115] _Ortyx virginianus_, var. _cubanensis_. _Ortyx cubanensis_, “GOULD.”—GRAY & MITCH. Gen. III, 514. _Ortyx_, sp. 2.—GOULD, Mon. Odont.

[116] The Florida bird has been lately characterized as var. _floridanus_ by Dr. Coues, in his Key to North American Birds.

[117] _Cyrtonyx ocellatus_, GOULD, P. Z. S. IV, p. 78.—IB. MONOG. Odont.

[118] This specimen is the type of _C. ochrocephalus_, AIKEN, Am. Nat. VII, April, 1873, p. 236.

* * * * *

Transcriber’s Notes

Variant spelling and hyphenation are preserved as printed. Simple typographical errors were corrected.

In the printed book, ditto marks often indicated repeated text. In this e-book, the repeated text is copied in full.

In the Measurements tables, zeros were added around the decimal to align data.

Detailed changes:

Table of Contents:
III. Glossary of Technical Terms 535[TN: was "533"]

Page 7:
_Speotyto cunicularia_, var. _hypogæa_[TN: was "hypugæa"], before
mentioned.

Page 23:
.60[TN: added decimal point]; tarsus, 1.75; middle toe, 1.20.

Page 27:
and at Hamilton, Canada, on the western shore of Lake Ontario;[TN: was
a comma]

Page 45:
furnishes the following proof of the identity of _N.[TN: added period]
“albifrons”_ and _N. acadica_

Page 46:
Louisiana, Mr. Wilson met with it in New Jersey, Mr. McCulloch[TN: was
"McCullock"]

Page 48:
Wing, 5.50–6.00;[TN: added semicolon] tail, 2.75–3.10. In the red
plumage,

Page 54:
contrasting[TN: was "contracting"] the lighter spots.

Page 59:
basally. Wing-formula,[TN: was a period] 3=4; 5, 2–6;

Page 63:
tail, 9.00[TN: added decimal point]; culmen, 1.20; tarsus, 2.20;
middle toe, 2.10.

Page 71:
_Nyctea scandiaca.[TN: added period]_

Page 84:
It is[TN: omitted comma] probable that it is occasional in Southern
California

Page 98:
437. Spheotyto hypogæa.[TN: was "hypugæo"] Natural size.

Page 99:
437. Spheotyto hypogæa.[TN: was "hypgæa"] Natural size.

Page 100:
437. Spheotyto hypogæa.[TN: was "hypgæa"] Natural size.

Page 101:
437. Spheotyto hypogæa.[TN: was "hypugæa"]

Page 113, measurements table:
_Sex._[TN: added "Sex" heading to match the other tables]

Page 131:
culmen, .45–.58; tarsus, 1.20–1.55; middle toe, 1.15–1.40).[TN: added
closing parenthesis]

Page 157, measurements table:
_Sex._[TN: added "Sex" heading to match other tables]

Page 160:
coast region[TN: omitted extraneous parenthesis]; var. _isabellinus_,
Swains.,

Page 184:
=Pandion haliætus=, var. =carolinensis= (GMEL.[TN: added period]).

Page 204:
_Immature female_ (Coll. Philadelphia[TN: was "Philadephia"] Academy,
Red Fork of the Arkansas, 1850;

Page 220:
globular[TN: was "gobular"] egg to an elongated oval.

Page 222:
_Erythrospiza_, KAUP, 1867. (Type, _A. trinotatus_ (TEMM.?))[TN: added
closing parenthesis]

Page 231:
Var.[TN: added period] =mexicanus=, SWAINSON.

Page 234:
several times, with great rapidity, by both male and female.”[TN:
added closing quotation mark]

Page 259:
and 30,895, Mirador, Mexico; the latter the larger.) Wing,
11.00–11.30; tail, 6.80–7.10;[TN: added semicolon]

Page 260, measurements table:
_Sex._[TN: added "Sex" heading to match the other tables]

Page 271:
you approach him, and with much seeming difficulty it makes[TN: was
"make"] out to move off

Page 273:
the young of nearly all _Buteos_ from adults of the same species.[TN:
was "specis"]

Page 295:
_Buteo[TN: was "Bateo"] cooperi_, CASS. P. A. N. S. Philad. VIII,
1856, 253.

Page 300:
_Young female_ (6,883, Los Angeles[TN: was "Angelos"], California; Dr.
Heermann).

Page 300:
_Aquila chrysaëtus_ (not of LINN.!)[TN: added period], RICH. & SW.
F. B. A. II, 1831, 12.

Page 314:
Zoög. Ros. As. 1811. _Aquila fulva_ (not of LINN.!)[TN: added period],
NUTT. Man. Orn. 1833, 62.—PEAB.

Page 314:
=Haliaetus albicilla= (LINN.[TN: added period]).

Page 324:
LINN. Tr. VIII, 277 (var.). _Aquila leucocephala_, MEYER, Taschenb[TN:
was "Tascheub"].

Page 339:
in Mexico, and it very rarely goes north of the Columbia.[TN: added
period]

Page 351:
_Vultur aura_ (not of Linn.[TN: added period]!), DAUD. Tr. Orn. II, 19
(quotes Pl. Enl. 187, 1800).

Page 359:
.68; tarsus, .97; middle toe, 1.13; outer, .89; inner, .78[TN: added
decimal point].

Page 366:
[TN: added opening parenthesis](Cordova, 1856, 309); Honduras (TAYLOR,
Ibis, II, 226;

Page 382:
expedient to merge _Zenaida_ and _Zenaidura_ into one, since, if
_yucatanensis_[TN: was "yucatensis"]

Page 414:
lower throat very spinous.[TN: added period]

Page 416:
_Canace canadensis_, REICH. Av. Syst. Nat. 1851, p. xxix. [TN: omitted
extraneous parenthesis]Type, BONAP. Comptes