35G 



BUTEO SWAINSONI, SWAINSON'S BUZZARD. 



Buteo vulgaris, Sw. & Rich., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 47, pi. 27 (not of European writers). — 

 NUTT., Man. ii, 1834, 539.— (?) Aud., Syn. 1839, 5 ; B. Am. i, 1840, 30, pi. 6 

 (based on Falco buteo of folio ed. pi. 372). 



Biitco moiiianiis, Nutt., Man. i, 2d ed. 1840, 112 (not of authors). 



Buteo swainsoiii, Bp., List, 1838, 3; Consp. i, 1850, 19.— Strickl., Orn. Svn. 1855, 30. — 

 Brkw., N. A. 061. 1857, 24.— Cass., Baird's B. N. A. 1858, 19 (not of Cass. 111. 

 1854, 98).— Bd., p. R. R. Rep. x, 1859, pt. iii, 11, pis. 12, 13.— Hayd., Rep. 1862, 

 152.— Blak., Ibis, iii, 1861, 317 (eggs).— Dress., Ibis, 1865, 324 (Texas).— 

 CouES, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 43 (Arizona).— 1».vll & Bann., Tr. Chic. Acad, i, 



1869, 272 (Alaska).— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 476.— Stev., U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 



1870, 462.— Mekr., ibid. 1872, 697.— Coues, Key, 1872, 217.— Snow, B. Kans. 

 1873.— B. B. & R., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 263.— Coues, A. N. viii, 1874 (biography). 



Buteo (Craxirex) sivainsoni, Gray, Hand-list, i, 1869, 7, No. 50. 



Buteo bairdii, HoY, Pr. Phila. Acad, vi, 1853, 451 (young ; Wisconsin).- Cass., 111. 1854, 



99, 2.57, pi. 41.— Cass., B. N. A. 1858, 21. —Ha yd., Rep. 1862, 152.— McIlwr., Pr. 



Ess. Inst. V, 1866, 81 (Canada). 

 Buteo insupiatus, Cass., 111. 1854, 102, 198, pi. 31 (vielanotic ; Canada). — Strickl., Orn. 



Syn. 1855, 38.— Cass., B. N. A. 1858, 23.— Brew., N. A. 061. 1857, 33.— Heerm., 



P. R. R. Rep. X, 1859, pt. vi, .32.— Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 45.— Coop., 



B. Cal. i, 1870, 474.— Snow, B. Kans. 1873. 

 Buteo swainsoni var. insignatus, Dall «fe Bann., Tr. Chic. Acad, i, 1869, 272 (Alaska). 

 Buteo gutturaUs, Maxim., J. f. O. vi, 1858, 17 (with eggs). 

 Buteo oxypterus, Cass., Pr. Phila. Acad, vii, 1855, 283 ; B. N. A. 1858, 30 (young).— 



Stricki.., Orn. Syn. 1855, 28.— Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 45.— Coop., B. Cal. 



i, 1870, 480. 

 Buteo swaimoni var. oxi/pterus, Ridgw. — B. B. & R., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 266. 

 Buteo fuh/inosus, Scl., P. Z. S. 1858, 356 ; Tr. Z. S. 1858, 267, pi. 62 {melanotic; Mexico).— 



Ridgw., Pr. Phila. Acad. 1870, 142. 

 Buteo " harlani, Aud." — Bryant, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1861, 115 (provisional name; proposes to 



adopt sitminsoni in the probable event that the true harlani is a different species). 



Hab. — Chiefly Northern and Western North America. Alaska. Kansas. Wisconsin. 

 Canada. Massachusetts. Also Mexico, Central and parts of South America. 



Lieutenant Warrenh Expedition.— 'oViA, 5152, Little Missouri River; 5153 (?) Loup 

 Fork of Platte River; 5154, mouth of Yellowstone River; 5155, Knife River; 5156, 

 mouth of White Earth River ; 5157, Heart River. 



Later Expeditions.— 54323, Wyoming ; 60631-2, Sweetwater ; 61765-6, Idaho ; 62226-9, 

 Wyoming ; 62230, Montana. 



As noted in a preceding article, this species may be distinguished from any style of 

 horeali^i in all its variations of color, by the emargination of only three, instead of 

 four, outer primaries. It is very truthfully tigured by Dr. Richardson, and other plates 

 have been published, as above quoted, illustrating several of its plumages. " B. 

 bairdii" is now well-known to be the young bird, while " 7?. l/zsif/jjafifs" is merely a 

 melanotic condition. The species appears to inhabit chiefly the western portions of 

 America, but has occurred several times in Canada, and once in Massachusetts. Dr. 

 Hayden's numerous specimens attest its abundance in the whole Missouri region. The 

 confusion that has arisen respecting it is deplorable — the more so that there was no 

 occasion for any such misunderstanding. The raal-identiticatiou of montanus, Nutt., 

 has had much to do with causing this. It is, of course, permanently distinct from 

 borealis, although hastily referred to this species by Mr. Allen. In bringing " ox//2><e?v/8 " 

 and '^fiiliginosus" into this connection, I follow Mr. Ridgway, who is unquestiouably 

 correct in this determination. Even the varietal distinction he attempts to maintain 

 in his last work is untenable, as he informs me he is now satisfied himself. 



This large Hawk is very al)undant in Northern Dakota, where it 

 came under my almost daily observation during the summer of 1873. 

 Excepting an occasional Rongh-leg or Ked-tail, it was the only buteo- 

 uine species observed, and the only Hawks more common were the 

 ubi<iuitous Marsh Harriers and Sparrow Hawks. The species is thor- 

 oughly distinct from its nearest ally, B. borealis ; it never gains the red 

 tail, so characteristic of the latter, and differs in many other points of 

 coloration in its several stages of plumage, as noted beyond. Although 

 its linear dimensions intergrade with those of the Red-tail, it is not so 



