76 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



(California: res. throughout year). — Hill, Auk, Ixi, 1944, 230-231 (meas.; 

 sex dimorphism). — McAtee, Wils. Bull., Ivi, 1944, 157 (Gulf States e. of 

 Texas; res.; migr.). 

 Elanus axillaris majusculus Oberholser, Auk, xxxvi, 1921, 266. — Dawson, 

 Birds California (stud, ed.), iii, 1923, 1648 (genl.; California). 



Genus GAMPSONYX Vigors 



Gampsonyx Vigors, Zool. Journ., ii, No. 5, April, 1825, 69. (Type, by monotypy, 



G. swainsoni Vigors.) 

 Gampsonix Lesson, Bull. Univ. Sci. Nat., vii, 1826, 106. 



Small hawks resembling Elanus, but much smaller (wing about 

 130-165 mm.); tail relatively longer (nearly three-fifths as long as 

 wing), with lateral pair of rectrices not shorter than middle pair; 

 wing relatively shorter, the longest primary exceeding distal secondary 

 by decidedly less than half the length of wing; scales on legs and feet 

 relatively much longer, hexagonal rather than circular, the toes with 

 more numerous transverse scutellae, and coloration very different 

 (adults without bluish gray on upperparts and with rusty on sides and 

 thighs) . 



Bill relatively small, broad basally and compressed terminally, its 

 depth at nostril about equal to its width at same point; culmen (chord) 

 equal to decidedly more than half the length of middle toe without 

 claw, strongly and regularly decurved from base, broadly rounded 

 above; maxillary tomium concave immediately behind the rather 

 long unguis, thence nearly straight to rictus; the tomium with a very 

 slight convexity directly beneath nostril; gonys less than half as long 

 as distance from nostril to tip of maxilla, very faintly convex, as- 

 cending terminally, prominent basally (through narrowness of rami), 

 indistinctly ridged. Nostril very small, circular, a little anterior to 

 center of cere. Wing moderate, pointed, the longest primary ex- 

 ceeding distal secondary by decidedly less than half the length of 

 wing; third primary (from outside) longest (the second nearl}^ as 

 long), the first a little longer than fifth; outermost primary with inner 

 web emarginated near tip, the second and third slightly sinuated (or 

 gradualh^ narrowed) terminally. Tail a little less than three-fifths 

 as long as wing, very slightly double-rounded (the middle and lateral 

 pairs of rectrices a very little shorter than the intermediate ones and 

 equal in length), the rectrices of nearly uniform width throughout, 

 their tips rounded. Tarsus about two-and-a-half times as long as 

 culmen, the upper half or more feathered anteriorly and laterally, 

 elsewhere quite uniformly covered by small hexagonal scales; toes 

 stout, the middle one (without claw) nearly three-fourths as long as 

 tarsus, the outer and inner of equal length, each reaching about to 

 penultimate articulation of middle toe; hallux a little shorter than 

 lateral toes, but stouter; claws moderately large, strongly curved, 



