150 ZOOLOGY. 



FiGUEES.— Bonap. Am. Cm. II, pi. 11, fig. 1 ; Temm. PI. Col.. 319 ; Aud. B. of Am., pi. 352 ; oct. ed. I, pi. 16 ; Gay, 

 Nat. Hist. Chili, Orn., pi. 2. 



Sp. Cb.— Adult.— Ucad and tail and entire under parts white. Upper parts fine light cinereous; lesser wing coverts glossy 

 black, which forms a large oblong patch from the shoulder ; inferior wing coverts white, with a small black patch. Middle 

 feathers of the tail light ashy, uniform with other upper parts ; bill dark ; tarsi and toes yellow. 



Total length, female, 15i to 17 inches ; wing, 12 inches ; tail, TJ inches. Male smaller. 



77^/ J.— Southern and western States and South America. Spec, in Nat. Mus., Washington, and Mus. Acad., Thiladelphia. 



No. 5895. Santa Clara, Cal., Oct. 22, 1855. Female, length, 16^ ; extent, 41 ; iris, orange red ; bill, black ; feet, orange ; 

 wing, 12 ; tail, 7J inches. 



I found this beautiful little hawk quite abundant during my visit to California, aud almost 

 always to be seen hovering over the meadows in search of field mice, which seem to be its 

 principal food. This specimen had the remains of one in its stomach. Though this hawk may 

 visit the prairie regions of southern and middle Oregon, I never saw or heard of it near the 

 Columbia river. — C. 



CIRCUS HUDSONIUS, Vie il lot. 



The Harrier; tbe Marsh Hawk. 



Falco hudsonius, LisN. Syst. Nat. I, 128, (1766.) 

 Circus hudaordiu, Vieuj.. Ois. Am. Sept., pi. 9. 

 Circus huthonius, Linn. Baiud & Cabsin, Gen. Eept. Birds, p. 38. 

 "Falcouluflnosus," Gm. Syst. Nat. I, 278, (1788.) 

 "FaUo uliginosus," Wilson, Am. Dm. VI, 67. 

 "Falco n/aneus," Audubon, Cm. Biog. IV, 896. 

 FiouKES.— Vieill. Ois. d'Am. Sept., pi. 9 ; Wilson Am. Orn. TI, pi. 51, fig. 2 ; Bonap. Am. Orn. II, pi. 12; Aud. B. of 

 Am., pi. 356; oct. od. I, pi. 26 ; Sw. & Rich. Faun. Bor. Am. Birds, pi. 29. 



Sp. Cn.— Upper parts, head and breast, pale bluish ash color, mixed with rufous on back ; upper tall coverts white. Beneath 

 white, with small cordate ferruffiiums spots ; quills brownish black, externally ashy, inner web partly white ; tail light ashy ; 

 feathers nearly white on inner webs, with obscure brown bars ; below white ; under wing coverts unspotted. 

 Female: lengtli, 19 to 21 ; wing, 15^; tail, 10 Inches. 

 Mak: length, 16 to 18 ; wing, 14i ; tail, 8i to 9 inches. 



Young : above brown, variegated with rufous; upper tail coverts brown or white ; tail reddish, with or withoiU about three 

 ■wide fulvous bands. Beneath rufous or nearly white, with blown stripes. 



No. 8780, (156.) North fork of the Platte R., Neb., Aug. 17, 1857. Young— length, 21 ; extent, 47 ; wing, 15 inches ; 

 iris brown, bill black, feet yellow. 



No. 8236, (218.) Forks of the Platte R., Oct. 17, 1857. Old male in full plumage— length, 18. 50 ; extent, 42. 50 ; wing' 

 13. 60 inches. Iris and cere yellow ; bill slate color ; feet brown and yellow. 



This hawk is easily distinguishable, even at a distance, by its large size, long wings and tail, 

 small round head, and long legs. It is also the only kind commonly seen in the northern States, 

 sailing slowly over meadows and prairies, generally alighting on the ground, (where it also 

 builds its nest.) It is commonly of a dark brown color, but old birds (after several years) 

 become of a fine ash color above and white beneath, beautifully marked with bars and spots. 

 This state of plumage is rarely seen, and younger birds are often found with nests and young. 



The marsh hawk is abundant throughout the open districts of the Territory, especially in 

 winter, and it builds there. I never saw but two specimens among hundreds having the light 

 blue color distinctive of the adult male. I found it no less common in California. 



In a journey to Fort Laramie, Nebraska, I found this bird no less numerous from July to 

 November, and noticed the curious fact that at least half of them were of the blue plumage. 

 From this I infer that the older birds seek the far interior in preference to the seaboard, either 

 from acquired experience of its greater safety, or for some other advantage which they find 



