628 



SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS. — BA P TORES — A CCIPITRES. 



slightly ashy across the breast), the white then only showing in narrow cross-bars; chin, 

 throat anil c-riysuin wliite, with blackish pencilling, the crissum, however, usually immaculate ; 

 wings and tail barred with ashy and brown or blackish, the quills white-barred basally, the tail 

 whitish-tijiped ; bill dark ; claws black ; iris, cere and feet yellow. Sexes alike in color ; 9 

 much larger than $ . 



Analysis of Species. 



Feet extremelj' sleiuler ; bare portion of tarsus longer than middle toe ; scutella frequently fused ; tail 



square, (f 10.00-12.00; extent about 21.00; \viiig.6.00-V.OO ; tail 5.00-6.00. 5 12.00-14.00; extent about 



25.50; wing 7.00-8.00; tail 6.00-7.00; whole foot 3.50 or less fuscus 494 



Feet moderately stout; bare portion of tarsus shorter than middle toe; scutella always distinct; tail 

 rounded, cf 16.00-18.00; extent about 30.00 ; wing9.00-10.00; tail 7.00-8.00. $18.00-20.00; extentabout 

 35.00; wing 10.00-11.00; tail 8.00-9.00; whole foot 4.00 or more cooperi 496 



494. A. fuscus. (Lat. /j<scits, dark. Fig. 369.) Sharp-shinned Hawk. " Pigeon " Hawk, so- 

 called, but not to be confounded with Fulco columharius, No. 505. Adult $ ?: Above, 

 dark plumbeous, slate-color, or bluish-gray, somewhat more fuscous on the wings and tail 

 than on the body, the feathers of the hind-head with fleecy white bases, the scapulars with 

 concealed white spots. Tail crossed by about 4 blackish bars, the first under the cpverts, the 



last subtermiual and broadest ; 



^Z- /^ . /Z J^-St;^ extreme tijjs of the feathers 



white. Primaries also marked 

 with blackish bars or spots, 

 and whitening at their bases, 

 in bars or indents of the inner 

 webs. Under parts barred 

 crosswise with rufous on a 

 white ground, the bars on 

 some parts cordate and con- 

 nected along the shafts of the 

 feathers, which are blackish ; 

 ear -coverts rufous; rufous 

 mostly or entirely wanting 

 on the cheeks, throat, and 

 crissum, which are more or less finely pencilled with the black shafts of the feathers; crissum, 

 however, often pure white. Axilla rs barred like other under parts; lining of wings white, with 

 dusky spots. Dimensions as above. Young : Above, umber-brown, varied with rusty-brown 

 edgings of most of the feathers; white spots of scapulars exposed. Below, white more or less 

 tawny-tinged, striped lengthwise with dark brown or reddish-brown on most parts, the feathers 

 mostly black- shafted. This state is oftener seen than the perfected plumage ; every inter- 

 mediate stage is seen ; but there can be no misunderstanding the species, as our only other 

 hawks (Falco columharius and F. sparverius) of similar slight dimensions belong to a different 

 genus and subfamily. N. Am. at large, one of our most abundant hawks, and one which, 

 notwithstanding its smallness, sustains the reputation of Acdpitrince for nerve and prowess. 

 The nest is usually built in the branches of a tree, sometimes in a hollow or on a ledge of 

 rocks, being a platform of small sticks upon which rests a bed of hay, moss, leaves, or bark ; 

 the eggs are generally laid in May, to the number of 4 or 5. The white ground-color has 

 often a livid or even purplish tint, and is marked, often so thickly as to be obscured, with 

 large, irregular splashes of various shades of brown, interminably changeable in number, size, 

 and pattern, sometimes inclining to form masses or a wreath, sometimes more evenly dis- 

 tributed. The egg is of nearly equal size at botli ends, and measures about 1.45 X 1.15. It 

 is not distinguishalile with certainty from that of Falco columbarius. 

 495. A. coo 'peri. (To Wm. Cooper. Fig. 370.) Cooper's Hawk. Chicken Hawk (a name shared 



(Ad nat. 



