158 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



A!>tui/ii»ru» AliD. B. Am. I. IWC. 100. |>1. 21. 



A'.»»»/ujirii» KauI'. 1850.-B. IJ. & U. Hist. X. Am. B. ill. 1874. 224. 

 /■(j/i-o re/"/ WiLB. .\ra. Orn. v. IHli 111!, pi. i'.. flc 1. 

 Falrii i/riinsul<'i'">i 11" Wu.8. Am. Orn. vi.l812. i.fil. 46,fl|{. 1. 



Had. TIio wIioIp of Nortli Amork-u; Moutli, in wintor, to Paimmii and the BuliiimiiH; 

 broudine nixirly tlirouRlinut the United Stntcs und northward. 



Sp. Chab. WinK. (l.;yi-8.8«: lull. 5.50-8.20; i<iilmen. .35- .80; tarsus. :.S5-2.:W; middli' 

 toi!, 1.10-1.55. Fourlli unil llftli iinllls loni;i-st. third nearly enual to sLxth. outer live with 

 Inner webs oniArninated. Tail oven or sliclitly eniarKiiiated. 



Ailiilt mule. Above iiUimbeouB.boeoni ink' Krailuallydarlver on the pileum, the routherH 

 witli blackish shaft-streaks. Tail rather lighter, usually browner, (sometimes with n 

 narrow white ti'rminal maruiu). eros.ied with four dusky bands. OeelpltuI feathers pure 

 white beneath the surface, and scapulars with large concealed roundish si>ots of the 

 .same. Lower parts mixed whiti- and rufous, in transverse spots or bars, the rufous bars 

 usually connected alonii the middle of the feather. Ihe shaft bciuc conspicuously darker. 

 Throat and checks streaked but not barred. Crlssum and anal renion immaculate i)urc 

 white. Tibia> usually with the rufous prodoroinatinR, rarely uniform rufous. Wine. 

 t;,"l)-7.10i tail. 5.8(>-fi.lO; eulmen, .38-.43; tarsus, 1.90-2.05; middle toe. 1.10-1.25. 



Adult female. Similar to the male, but less bluish abovi'.and the white of Ihe lower 

 parts less pure. Winj;. ".bll-8.80; tail, B.CO-8.20; eulmen, .48-, 60; tarsus, 2.00-225; middU* 

 toe, 1.30-1.55.* 



YiDtiig male. Above dark sepia, tlic feathers bonlered terminally with rusty, those 

 of the nape widely eilfied with the same, or witli fulvous whitish; feathers of the plleum 

 similarly but more narrowly edged with the same. Tail brownish gray, cro.ssed by four 

 to live woU-dellned, eonlinuous. narrow bauds of blackish. Scapulars and upper tall 

 coverts with concealed largo spots of white, and occipital region white ln'neath the sur- 

 face. Beneath, white, with or without an ochraceous tinge, the anal region and erissum 

 immapulate, the throat streaked witli dusky; the breast, abdomen, sides, and thinks with 

 broad stripes of dilute sepia, with darker shaft-streaks, these stripes sonu?times dilating 

 on the sides into chain-like series of spots; tibia' with elliptical or tear-shaped stripes, 

 or variously shaped spots, of dilute sepia, on a white or pale rusty ground. Wing.6.3&- 

 0.9.'i; tail. 5.50-0.30; eulmen. .35^.40; tarsus. 1.85-2.05: middle toe. 1.05-1.25. 



Yomio female. E.xaetly like the youug male in markings and colors. Wing, 7.75-8.60; 

 tail. 6.50-7.«>: culmon, .45-. 50; tarsus, 2.05-2.30; middle toe, 1.30-1.50. 



Dr. Brewer gives us the following biography of this species, in 

 Hlxtory of North American Bijv/s, Vol. III., pp. 227-229: 



"Mr. Auclubou regarded it as the very miniature of the Gosliawk, 

 in its irregular, swift, vigorous, varied, and yet often undeeitkHl, 

 luiniiier of flight, and on oceasion greatly protracted. When in 

 search of its prey, it is said to pass over tlie country, now at a 

 moderate height, now close over the land, iind with a surprising 

 swiftness. It advances by sudden dashes, and pounces upon the 



♦Fresh colors of an aiiull female (No. 8,450, U. S. Nat- Mus.) shot at Mount Carniel. III., 

 Oi'tober22, ISO. Terniiiuil two thirds of bill deep bla<'k; basal portion pale blue; interior 

 ot mouth bright cobalt-blue, more luirplish far back; cere, rictus, eyelids and naked 

 "eyo-brow" oil-green; iris deep orange-red; tarsi and toes brownisli leuion-ycllow; 

 claws Jet-black. Total h'Ugth, 13 Inches; extent. 84 Inches. 



