Stanley's hawk. 91 



tipped with whitish, and crossed by 4 equidistant blackish bands. 

 Legs and feet yellow. The cere greenish-yellow. Iris bright yel- 

 low. — Female J 2 inches longer, but with similar plumage. 



STANLEY'S HAWK. 



(Falco Stanleii, nobis. Astur Stanleii, Audubon, pi. 36.) 



Spec. Charact. — Above dusky brown, a little varied with white j 

 beneath cinereous with oblong dusky spots. Tail long and 

 rounded, extending much beyond the wings, with 5 broadish 

 dusky bars ; cere and legs pale yellow. 



With this fine new species of Audubon we are yet 

 unacquainted. It appears, however, nearly allied to 

 JP. Cooperii, with which it ought to be compared. It is 

 spiritedly represented, with its mate, in the act of pursu- 

 ing and nearly overtaking a Bluebird, 



About 18^ inches long. Wings barred. 1st primary very short 

 as well as the 2d. The 5th longest. — Male, Avith the head marked 

 with dusky white and rufous on each feather. Female, with the 

 head dusky. Beneath cinereous, with oblong dusky brown spots ; 

 feraorals rufous-white, with oblong, pointed spots. 



Subgenus. — Ictinia. (Viellot. Bonap.) 



Bill short, narrowed above ; the upper mandible angularly lobed ; 

 the lower distinctly notched ; cere glabrous ; nostrils rounded. 

 Tarsi short, slender, scutellated (or covered in front with a row of 

 broad scales) feathered for a short space ; the outer toe connected at 

 base by a membrane. The nails short and not very acute. — Wings 

 very long, extending to the end of the tail. 3d primary longest. 

 Tail nearly even. 



Bold species ; feeding on small birds, reptiles, &c., but chiefly 

 on insects. They fly out in easy sailing circles at a considerable 

 elevation. — Note. The birds of this section appear to be intermedi- 

 ate between the Falcons and true Kites, and in manners they are 

 somewhat related to the Buzzards. 



