354 Mr. J. 11. Gurncy's Notes on 



In the autumu of 1809 I saw in the museum at Lille tvro 

 individuals of this species from the Ural Mountains, whieh 

 were probably very old birds, and in which the transverse 

 markings on the underparts were unusually narrow, approach- 

 ing in this particular to the character of the con'csponding 

 markings in A. atricapillus ; the same museum contained other 

 and, presumably, younger adults from the same locality, in 

 which the markings on the breast were of the normal character 

 usual in adult specimens of A. j)alumbarius. 



Although these markings are always narrower in Astur 

 atricapillus, when adult, than in the corresponding stage of 

 A. jicilumbarius, yet differences in this respect, as well as in 

 some others, have been observed between the Goshawks which 

 are commonly obtained in the eastern parts of North America 

 and those which are found in the more western districts ; Mr. 

 Ridgway* designates the Western North- American form as 

 " var. striatulus, Ridgway," but remarks, " In regard to the 

 form indicated .... as var. striatulus, Ridgway, I am as yet 

 undecided whether to recognize it as a geographical race, or 

 to merely consider the two adult plumages as representing 

 different ages of the same form.^' 



Mr. Ridgway adds the following descriptions : — 



" Var. atricapillus. 



"Adult. Markings of the lower surface coarse and ragged; 

 feathers of the pectoral region with broad, median, longitu- 

 dinal streaks of the same slaty tint as the transverse bars, and 

 with only the shafts black ; tail-bands distinct. 



" Young. Pale ochraceous markings prevailing in extent 

 over the darker (clear greyish umber) spotting ; stripes be- 

 neath narrow, clear brownish, those on the flanks linear. 



"Var. striatulus. 



" Adult. Markings of the lower parts fine and delicate, and 

 so dense as to present the appearance of a nearly uniform 

 bluish ashy surface ; feathers of the pectoral region without 

 the median stripes of slaty, but with broad shaft-marks of 



* Vide Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway's 'History of North- American 

 Birds,' vol. iii. p. 238 ; also Sharpo's ' Catalogue,' Addenda, p. 45G. 



