24 NORTH AMERICAN OOLOGY. PART I. 



2iif inches in length by If! in breadth. Its ground color is a dull white, intermixed 

 with which are frequent small markings of dull purplish. Over these are numerous 

 large confluent blotches of a brown, of a light tone, and almost exactly conforming 

 with the tint known as Dutch umber. These are chiefly diffused around one end of 

 the egg, covering about one half of it with a large ring of close and confluent mark- 

 ings. Over the rest of the egg these markings are distributed in smaller spots and 

 dottings, of the same shade of color. 



Another egg from the same nest corresponds exactly in size and shape with the 

 preceding, but varies greatly in its general appearance, in consequence of the almost 

 total absence of the Dutch-umber markings. These are few and small, and are 

 nearly all confined to a small portion of one end of the egg. The ground color is 

 also a dull white, and the markings of dull purplish which are intermixed with it 

 are larger, more frequent, and, in consequence of the absence of the brown, much 

 more conspicuous and noticeable. 



Another egg of this Hawk, obtained in Danvers by Mr. S. P. Fowler, a brother of 

 the gentleman just referred to, again varies perceptibly in its markings. It measures 

 2-iV inches in length by l-H in breadth. Its ground color is a dirty white, very 

 closely intermixed with frequent minute markings of a dull purplish, which give a 

 dingy effect to the ground. It is blotched and marked, chiefly at the larger end, 

 with bold, distinct, and not confluent spots, of a greenish umber, intermixed with 

 darker spots of Vandyke-brown. One end of the egg is slightly larger than the 

 other. 



Another egg, of which I have only a drawing, is very nearly spherical. Its meas- 

 urements are 2-rr by Hf inches, and its markings are numerous confluent blotches 

 of dark slaty-brown and light umber, upon a clay-colored ground. 



BUTEO SWAINSONI. 



Buteo vulgaris, RICH. & SWAIN. F. B. A. II, 1831, 47. 

 Buteo swainsoni, BONAP. Geog. and Comp. List, 1838, p. 3. 



CASSIN, Syn. N. A. Birds (Illust. Birds of Cal.), 1854, p. 98. 

 " " Proceedings Phil. Acad. Feb. 1855, p. 280. 



Falco luteo 1 ATJD. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 508, pi. ccclxxii. 

 Buteo vulgaris ? AUD. Syn. 1839, p. 5. 



" Birds of Am. I, 1840, 30, pi. vi. 



VULG. Swainson's Buzzard. The Western Buzzard. The Common Buzzard. The North- 

 ern Buzzard. 



AN egg, of which I possess only a copy, and which I am unable to represent in 

 the plate, was obtained in the northern part of California, by Dr. Heermann. It was 

 kindly lent me for inspection. At the time it was obtained, it was supposed to be 

 well identified as the egg of this Buzzard, and but for the confusion which has since 



