252 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



varying from pure white, Avith few markings (very rarely quite im- 

 maculate), to deep cinnamon-buff (usually an intermediate shade) 

 more or less sprinkled, speckled, spotted, or blotched with rusty 

 brown or cinnamon. (Subgenus Tinnunculus Vieill.) 

 Adult males with tail chestnut-rufous, crossed by a broad subter- 

 minal black band (sometimes with more or less distinct nar- 

 rower bands anterior to this, especially on lateral feathers), and 

 tipped with whitish or rufous ; wing-coverts grayish blue, or 

 plumbeous, usually moi-e or less spotted with black ; sides of 

 head with one or two (usually two) black obliquely vertical 

 stripes, the enclosed space whitish ; low^er parts varying from 

 pure white (the throat and under tail-coverts always white), 

 through shades of buff and ochraceous, to deep rufous, with 

 or without black spots. Young males similar to adults, but 

 feathers of upper surface more or less distinctly margined 

 with whitish, the colors generally more suffused. Adult fe- 

 males : Tail rusty, crossed by numerous narrow bands or bars 

 of dusky ; wing-coverts also ferruginous, barred with dusky, 

 like back and scapulars ; head marked as in male. Young fe- 

 male: Similar to adult, but colors softer, deeper, and more 

 blended. 

 dK Back always entirely rufous or rusty, with or without black bars 

 or spots ; breast, etc., varying from white to deej) ochraceous 

 with or without dusky markings ; forehead and ear-coverts 

 distinctly whitish. 

 e\ Inner webs of quills barred entirely across with white and 

 dusky ; " mustache" across cheeks always conspicuous ; no 

 distinct white superciliary sti'ipe. 



Top of head varying from bluish gray to dark slate, the 



crown with or without a rufous patch.. Male : Length 



about 8.75-10.60, wing 6.55-8.05 (7.16), tail 4.20-5.45 



(4.73), culnien .50, tarsus 1.25-1.55, middle toe .95. 



Female: Length 9.50-12.00, wing 6.90-8.15 (7.57), tail 



4.50-5.60 (5.14), culmen .50-.55, tarsus 1.40-1.45,' 



middle toe .90-1.00. Eggs 1.38 X l-H- Hah. Whole 



of temperate North America, and south (in winter 



only?) through Middle America to northern South 



America. 



360. F. sparverius Linn. American Sparrow Hawk. 



e"^. Inner webs of quills white, merely serrated along the shaft 



with dusky ; " mustache" across cheeks indistinct or quite 



obsolete ; a conspicuous white superciliary strij^e. 



Otherwise like F. sparverius, but scapulars and wing- 

 coverts usually with fewer black markings, and lower 

 parts usually immaculate white in male, stained or 



