480 PREYING BIRDS — RAPTORES. 



two inches I'rom the- tip, tlie otliei' a quarter of an ineli wide at four and a half inelies from 

 tip. Also a rudimentary band of light spots on the two outer feathers two inches higher. 

 All these are pure white on the inner webs, and beneath. Length, 20.25 ; extent, 5G.50 ; 

 wing, 16.2o ; tail, 10.00; tarsus, 2.50. Iris reddish-brown; bill black, whitish at base; 

 cere and feet yellow. 



Hab. Southern Caliibrnia and ^Mexico. 



Differs from B. Harlani of Cassia iu smaller size, generally -weaker form, 

 darker colors, longer wings and tail, and shorter tarsus, with fewer scales. 

 Still, it may not differ so much from the male, Cassin's specimens being 

 probably all females. It belongs to the smaller type, of which some lia\e 

 been taken for B. Harlani, Audubon, though his plates represent a larger 

 and lirowner bird, with various other differences of color, which may indicate 

 immaturity, the tad having several narrow lilack bars and no white ones. 

 His type specimen is also said to belong to the large forms, though he gives 

 the length as only twenty-one inches. 



I shot the specimen above described, the first found within the United 

 Stiites, on the 23d of February, 1862, thirty miles north of San Diego, and 

 fi\-e li'om the coast. It was associating witli many of B. insirjnutus and 

 other hawks wintering there, and was rather sluggish and tame as long as I 

 observed it. I saw no more black hawks iu that region. 



Buteo oxypterus, Cassin. 

 THE SHASP-WINGED HAWK. 



Buteo oxjiptmis, Cassin, I'r. Phil. Ae. VII. 1855, 282. In. B.urd, Binls N. Anicr. 1858, ])1. 



XV. f. 1. 

 Buteo fnllginosus, ScLATER, Proc. Zoul. Soc. Lond. 1858, 356. Iu. Trans. IV. 1809,267; 



]il. l.xii. 



Sp. Ciiae. About the size of Biiten Pennsi/lcanicus, Wilson. Bill rather long and 

 compressed, edge of upper mandible slightly waved in its outline, but scarcely lobed ; wing 

 long, pointed, third quill longest ; tail moderate or rather short ; legs rather long ; tarsus 

 feathered in front for about one third of its length, naked behind, naked portion in front 

 having about fourteen narrow, transverse scales ; claws large, strong, fully curved. 



Younff bird. Sex unknown. Entire plumage above dark brown, nearly black on the 

 liack. Feathers of the head white at base, and edged laterally with the same ; iqiper 

 plumage witli partially concealed spots and transverse bands of white. Quills nearly 

 black, witli the inner webs dark cinereous, barred with brown ; tail above ashy-brown, 

 white at base, and having about ten transverse bands of dark-brown, outer feathers ashy- 

 white on their inner webs ; tail beneath silky, ashy-white, with a bronzed yellowish olive 

 lustre. 



Behind and under the eye a stripe of rufous brown Under parts pale yellowish-white ; 

 throat with lines and narrow stripes of Ijrownish-black, and on other under parts every 

 teatlier with a large lanceolate, cordate, or circular spot of dark brown, some feathers on 



