148 ZOOLOGY. 



each wing. A pair keep about the town, and often fly up together, circling around and chasing 

 each other in sport. Their wings are remarkably short and lyroad." 



The shape of the wing, apparently smaller size, and rapid flapping flight, differed from the 

 red-tail's, as I remarked at the time. I tried on several days to get near one, but without 

 success, as it had begun to be shy at the approach of man, whose murderous intentions most of 

 the hawks on that coast had apparently not yet learned. — C. 



BUTEO COOPERI, Cassin. 



California Ha-wk. 



■Buleo Cooperi, Cassin, Proc. Acad Philad. VIII, 253, (1856.) Baird &. Cassin, Gon. Rep. Birds, p. 31. 



"About the size of Buteo borealis, hul belonging to the same group as Buteo eri/(Aro»oIus of South America, (genus Tachytri- 

 orchis, Kaup, as restricted by Bonaparte, Conspectus Avium, p. 17.") — Cassin. 



Sp. Ch. — Immature plumage. — Back feathers white at bases, the rest brownish, tinged with cinereous; upper tail coverts 

 white, barred witli dark brown and rufous; a general pale ashy tinge above. Tail while at base, outer webs cinereous, some 

 inner white and mottled rufous Jon middle feather ; a subterminal band of dark brown, and tip rufous and white. Under 

 parts white, with numerous dark stripes on throat, neck, and flanks, A large brownish black spot on under wing coverts. 



The adult in full plumage, which has not yet been obtained, probably has the upper parts of a light ash color, (like that 

 of the old marsh hawk,) and the tail white. 



No. 8525. Santa Clara, Cal., Nov. 1855. Young female.' Length, 20.50; extent, 51 inches. Iris, dark brown; bill, 

 bluish; feet and cere, yel'ow. 



Plate XVI, (Birds,) represents this specimen. 



In October and November, 1855, I spent six weeks in Santa Clara county, California, where 

 I met with many new and interesting animals. On November 10, I find it noted in my journal, 

 "Shot a hawk of a kind now quite common here, which keeps about the groves of low oaks, 

 and has much the same cry, habits, and flight, as the red-tail. This specimen appears to be 

 changing its plumage, but has still the hroivn iris, characteristic of young hawks." I saw 

 frequently what I took for the same species iip to the time of my departure from California, 

 about December 1. As they were not shy, I might have shot several more, but although new 

 to me, I supposed that the many collectors who had preceded me in California must certainly 

 have obtained numerous specimens of the immature bird, and I tried without success to find 

 more perfect specimens. On the 29th November I observed a pair of them sitting on the 

 ground in a perfectly level prairie, at a distance from*«,ny covert by which I might approach 

 them. These had the light ashy gray color much more distinct than in the specimen, though I 

 could perceive that they too had some of the mottlings of the immature plumage. They 

 seemed to have nearly white tails. — C. 



ARCniBUTEO LAGOPUS, Gray. 



Kongll-legged Ha-fvlc. 



Falco lagepus, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, p. 2G0, (1788.) 



Wilson, Am. Cm. IV, pi. XXXIII, fig. 1, young. 

 AuD. B. of Am. pi. 422, fig. 2, adult.> 

 ^rchibuteo lagopus, Grat, Gen. ed. 2, p. 3. 

 Jl. lagopns, (Gm) Baird & Cassin, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 32. 

 Sp. Ch. — Head above yellowish, with reddish stripes; back pale cinereous, sometimes very white, with bands of white and 

 dark brown; beneath white, stripes on throat, and large spots and stripes of brewn on breast; numeous hands of same on 

 abdomen, tibia, and tarsi. Tail coverts and tail at base white; the rest of the tail cinereous, with a broad black beuid near 

 tip, and two others above it. Blackish spots, and a large ashy brown space on under wing coverts. 

 Female: length, 21 to 23; wing, 16 to 17; tail, 9 inches. 

 Male: length, 19 to 21; wing, 15 to 16; tail, 8 to 8^ inches. 



