FALCONID^. — BUTEO PENNS YL VANI CUS. 31 



BUTEO PENNSTLVANICUS. 



Falco latissimus, Wils. Am. Orii. VI, 1812, 92. 



Falco pennsyhanicus, Wils. Am. Orn. VI, 1812, 92, earlier copies. 



" " BoNAP. Syn. 1828, p. 29. 



" " Ntjttall, Manual, I, 1832, 105. 



" " AuD. Orn. Biog. I, 1832, 461 ; V, 377, pi. xci. 



" " De Kay, Nat. Hist. New York, 1844, pi. v, fig. 2. 



Sparvius platypterus, Vieill. Encyc. Meth. Ill, 1823, 1273. 

 Falco wihonii, Bonap. Jour. Acad. Phila. Ill, 1824, 348. 

 Buteo pennsyloanicus, Bonap. Geog. and Comp. List, 1838, p. 3. 



" " Add. Synopsis, 1839, p. 6. 



" " " Birds of Am. I, 1840, 43, pi. x. 



" " Cassin, Syn. N. A. Birds (lUust. Birds of Cal.), 1854, p. 100. 



Buteo latissimus, Lembeye, Av. de la Isla de Cuba, 1850, p. 19. 



VuLG. — The Broad-winged Haxck. Falcon de Monte (Cuba). 



This bird appears to be nowbere a very common species, with perhaps the excep- 

 tion of the peninsula of Florida, and not to have a very extended range. It has not 

 been found in the fiir regions, nor, so far as I am aware, upon any portion of the 

 Pacific coast, nor yet in New Mexico, Texas, or Mexico. In Cuba, Dr. Gundlach 

 informs me, it is a resident species, and breeds in the island, which Mr. Lembeye 

 also confirms. Yet Mr. Gosse did not observe it ia Jamaica, nor do I know that it 

 has been obtained either ui Central or South America. It is occasionally found in 

 Massachusetts, where it undoubtedly breeds.^ The late Professor Adams of Amherst 

 met with it nesting near Middlebury, Vermont, some years since. It tlierefore prob- 

 ably occurs throughout New England, and, it is quite possible, in aU the Atlantic 

 States also. Dr. Hay mentions it as common in Wisconsin, but this does not corre- 

 spond with the information I have from other naturalists in that State. Mr. Audubon 

 speaks of this Hawk as rare in Louisiana, and as only occasionally found in that State 

 in severe winters ; but as by no means rare ia Vhginia, Maryland, and the States 

 eastward. Nests of this species have been observed in Vermont, New Jersey, Penn- 

 sylvania, and Florida. Beyond these data I have no certain information ia regard 

 to its distribution. 



The nest fomid by Mr. Audubon was about the size of that of the Crow, and was 

 placed ia the larger branches of a tree, near the trunk. It was composed externally 

 of dry sticks and briers; internally, of small roots, and lined with numerous large 

 feathers. The nest found by Professor Adams, now in the museum of Middlebury 

 College, Vermont, was quite large, when we consider the size of the Hawk, and was 

 coarsely constructed of sticks, and lined only Avith fibrous roots and fine grass. In 

 tins iastance the eggs were three. This, I am inclined to beheve, is the more usual 

 number ; Mr. Audubon, however, gives it as four or five. 



' Since the above was in type, I have seen an egg belonging to Mr. Archibald Hopkins, and obtained 

 in Williamstown, Mass., which is undoubtedly one of this species. 



