1855.] 



281 



Although I have no doubt whatever that this is the species indicated by the 

 description of Mr. Swainson as above cited, my opinion is that it is the male 

 bird only to which this conclusion applies. 



The female described by Mr. Swainson does not appear to me to be of the 

 same species, but apparently is that of the Buteo borealis, in plumage not ma- 

 ture. A careful examination of the descriptions of the male and female here 

 alluded to, which are given by Mr. Swainson with his usual great accuracy, will 

 show some material points of difference. Of the male it is stated that " the 

 third quill feather is the longest, the fourth is nearly a quarter of an inch, and 

 the second an inch and a quarter shorter." Of the female < ( the third an d fourth 

 quill feathers are of equal length." Of the male " cere and legs yellowish," 

 of the female "the cere and legs have a bluish livid color." The last cha- 

 racter may, however, only indicate a young bird, and that the specimen was a 

 young bird, is further rendered probable by the statement that "the feathers 

 are more downy " than those of the male. The total length of the male is 

 given as 22 inches, that of the female 26 inches. All the measurements of the 

 female as given, and the description, apply to the immature Buteo borealis, es- 

 pecially to western specimens. 



The bird figured by Mr. Audubon as Falco buteo (B. of Am. pi. 372) is the 

 young bird of Buteo borealls and not the present species. European naturalists 

 generally have regarded this bird as either identical with that species, or as 

 nearly related to it, both of which conclusions are erroneous. 



14. Buteo calurus, nobis. 



Form. Similar in general form to Buteo azigur, tachardus and vulgaris. Bill 

 strong, edges of the upper mandible with distinct rounded lobes, wings long, 

 fifth quills slightly longest, tail moderate (or rather short). Tarsi feathered 

 in front for nearly half their length, naked behind, naked portion in front pre- 

 senting about ten transverse scales, claws large, strong, fully curved. 



Dimensions (Of skin) sex unknown. Total length about 21 inches, wing 



16, tail 9 inches. 



Colors. Tail bright rufous above, white at the base, every feather having 

 about eight irregular and imperfect transverse narrow bands and one wide sub- 

 terminal band of brownish black, beneath silky reddish white. Entire plu- 

 mage of the head, neck and body above and below dark brown, nearly black 

 on the back and abdomen and palest on the breast. Plumage of the upper parts 

 with partially concealed transverse bands of white, and of the under parts with 

 circular spots and transverse bands of the same (also partially concealed). 

 Quills dark brown, with a large portion of their inner webs white, banded and 

 mottled with pale ashy brown. Tibial feathers and under tail coverts trans- 

 versely barred with dark brown and pale rufous. 



Hob. New Mexico, discovered by T. Charlton Henry, M. D United States 

 Army. This new and very remarkable bird presents a combination of charac- 

 ters quite unusual in an American species, and it bears a greater resemblance 

 to a Northern African species, Buteo augur, Riippell, than to any other with 

 which I am acquainted. In some degree it also resembles my Buteo insignatus 

 (B. of Cal. and Texas i. p. 102, pi. 31), but is much larger, and presents various 

 other strong points of difference. The present bird would present to a casual 

 observer the appearance of the Black Hawk {Archibuteo savcti-johannis) with 

 the tail attached of the common red-tailed Buzzard (Buteo borealis), a combina- 

 tion hitherto unknown amongst American Falconidae, but which exists in the 

 African Buteo augur. 



The bird now described is in an extensive collection containing many inter- 

 esting and little known species, made by Dr. T. C. Henry of the United States 

 Army, whose exertions have continued unremitted for several years. It was 

 obtained in the vicinity of Fort Webster, New Mexico. 



15. Buteo elegans, nobis. 



Form. Generally similar to Buteo lineatus. Bill rather slender, edges of 



