FAMILY ACCIPITRIDAE 221 



(Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Amer,, vol. 3, 1900, p. 84). I saw 

 two soaring over a forested ridge on the approach to El Valle, Code 

 on June 22, 1953. On the Pacific side of the isthmus the bird is found 

 mainly in Darien but is nowhere common. It is dependent on forest 

 cover and so disappears when the land is cleared. 



These small hawks have little fear, and most of those I have seen 

 have been attracted when I was calling smaller birds. Then they 

 sometimes utter a low, mewing call. Occasionally I have observed 

 one resting in the morning sun along a Darien river as I passed in a 

 piragua, when their clear white-and-dark-gray plumage, with orange 

 feet and base of bill, made a beautiful contrast with the green of 

 the leafy background. On the Rio Jaque one flew past carrying a 

 small jungle rat that slipped from its feet and dropped as the bird 

 perched. At the mouth of the Quebrada Peluca on the Boqueron 

 one scrambled actively along the stream bank in pursuit of small 

 frogs. Near Armila, San Bias, one was caught in a mist net set in 

 heavy forest. 



Nothing is known of the nesting habits. 



LEUCOPTERNIS PLUMBEA Salvin: Plumbeous Hawk; Gavilan Azul 



Leiuopternis plumbea Salvin, Ibis, ser. 3, vol. 2, pt. 3, July 1872, p. 240, pi. 8. 

 (Ecuador.) 



Medium size ; gray, with black wings and tail. 



Description. — Length 350 to 370 mm. Wings and tail black, the 

 latter with a subterminal white band and a faintly paler tip; else- 

 where gray, paler below with faintly indicated black shaft lines; 

 tibia and lower abdomen barred with white; concealed white and 

 white freckling on sides, upper abdomen, and lower breast ; under sur- 

 face of wing white, with tips of primaries dull black, barred on 

 the outer half with white to grayish white. 



Measurements. — Males (6 from Panama), wing 219-232 (225), 

 tail 131.3-150.0 (139.5), culmen from cere 20.2-22.1 (21.4), tarsus 

 68.1-72.9 (70.8) mm. 



Females (3 from Panama and Colombia), wing 233-245 (237.8), 

 tail 139-157 (136.9), culmen from cere 21.0-22.5 (21.5), tarsus 66-74 

 (69.8) mm. 



Resident. Rare ; in forested areas in the tropical zone. 



I have found the following records from Panama. One marked 

 Panama without locality and one labeled Veraguas (taken by Arce) 

 in the British Museum ; one from Nata, Cocle, in the U. S. National 

 Museum, collected on the Rio Chico by Heyde and Lux, January 7, 

 1889 ; and two from Perme, San Bias, in the Museum of Comparative 



