IDO DESCKIPTION OF A HAWK. 



As there are many de\ iations in a structural point of view, in this Hawk 

 from the ordinaiy formation in Hawks of a similar size to this, it may bo 

 well to enumerate them in detail, so that parties thoroughly inforaied in 

 Ornithology may be induced to give their opinion to the less learned in this 

 interesting branch of the natural sciences. 



The British Hawks to which this bird bears any similitude whatever, either 

 in size or plumage, are the Merlin, the Hobby, the Orange-legged Hobby, 

 the Kestrel, and the Sparrow-Hawk. In the first place, the head is neither 

 so broad nor so round as the Hawks alluded to ; but it is quite possible, and 

 I believe that this may be a defect in the stufiing, in the present specimen. 

 Whilst this specimen numbers on the anterior and inferior tarsus six scu- 

 tella, the Kestrel numbers only four, the Merlin four, the Hobby five, the 

 Orange-legged Hobby seven, and the Sparrow-Hawk eighteen. 



Again: this specimen numbers, on tho first toe, eight scutella, the Kestrel 

 seven, the Merlin eight, the Hobby eight, the Orange-legged Hobby five, the 

 SpaiTow-Hawk nine. 



On the second toe, this numbers ten, the Kesti-el nine, the Merlin ten, the 

 Hobby twelve, the Orange-legged Hobby eight, and the Sparrow-Hawk four- 

 teen. 



On the tJdrd toe, this Hawk numbers twenty-two, the Kestrel sixteen, the 

 Merlin twenty-one, the Hobby eighteen, the Orange-legged Hobby thirteen, 

 the SpaiTow-Hawk twenty-eight. 



On the fourth, this specimen numbers thirteen, the Kestrel eleven, the 

 Merlin eleven, the Hobby fourteen, the Orange-legged Hobby six, the Spar- 

 row-Hawk eighteen. 



— In this bird, the basal web exists between the third and fourth toes. So it 

 does in the Kestrel and Sparrow-Hawk ; whereas the two Hobbies and the 

 Merlin have each two basal webs 



The notches on the wing in this bird are one each, on the first and second 

 quill. The Kestrel and the Merlin have the same ; but the two Hobbies have 

 only one, which is on the first feather. 



The longest feather in the wing, in this specimen, is the third; whereas the 

 longest feather in the Kestrel, the two Hobbies, and the Merlin, is the second, 

 and in the Sparrow-Hawk the fourth and fifth, which are of equal length. 



The second longest in this Hawk, is the second quill ; whilst the third feather 

 in the Kestrel, MerUn, Orange-legged Hobby, and Sparrow-Hawk, is the 

 second longest in the wing ; and in the Hobby, the second longest is the first 

 feather in the wing. 



The third in length in this bird, is the first or outermost ; which, indeed, is 

 precisely the same as the sixth, and precisely the same as the outermost 

 quill in the Kestrel, Merlin, and Orange-legged Hobby; but the sixth in 

 these three Hawks does not equal them, as is the case in this Hawk ; whilst 

 the third in length in the Sparrow-Hawk is the second in the wing. 



