83 



fl46. Buteo alhonotatus albonoiatus^- Gray Cat. 

 Accip. Brit. Mus., p. 7 (1844). {Mexico, 

 type in B. M.] {nom. nud.) : Kaup,Isis, 1847, 

 cols. 329, 954. ] 

 Zone-tailed Hawk. 



Mexico, Arizona 

 New Mexico, 

 Texas. 



Wing 3 400-435. ? 410-445 mm. ; first 4 

 quiUs strongly notched in adult (in im- 

 mature first three notched and 4th sinuate); 

 above and below black, with more or less 

 of a slaty shade on mantle and chest 

 (immature only showing more or less 

 concealed white spots) ; tail black with 

 broad median band of grey (showing white 

 below) and remains of a second band (in 

 immature with from 4 to 6 light bands). 



*146a. Buteo albonotatus abbreviatus Cab., m Surinam, 



Schomb. Reis. Guiana, iii., p. 739 (1848). Brit. Guiana, 



[Pomeroon R., Brit. Guiana, type in Berhn Venezuela, 



Mus.] Panama 



Southern Zone-tailed Hawk. (Pearl Is.), 



Brazil, Peru, 



Smaller ; wing (^ 380-385, mm. ; plumage BoUvia.- 

 similar, but black without any shade of 

 slate usually shown in Mexican birds. 



I Gray applied the name albonotatus to an immature bird, as the type in the 

 Brit. Mus. proves, and without description, but Kaup's description, unsatisfactory 

 as it is, undoubtedly predates Cabanis's name abbreviatus, so I have been obliged 

 to use it. The latter name was also based on an immature bird, as I learn from 

 Dr. Reichenow who examined the type in Berlin for me. The more or less con- 

 cealed white spots on the plumage of some examples are a sign of immaturity, 

 but are not confined to Mexican birds, and are of no value in determination. 

 The actual sign of maturity lies in the tail, the oldest birds having one broad 

 median grey band (showing white below) and remains of a second one, while the 

 immature birds have from 6 to 4 narrower ashy bands above, according to age, 

 all showing white below The slight difference in size is the only real distinction 

 between N. American and S. American birds, but I have for several reasons 

 thought it best to retain both names and so separate the former from the latter. 

 Kaup's brief reference cited in the Isis, 1847, undoubtedly applies to Gray's 

 Mexican bird, but in Jardine's Contrib. to Ornith., 1850, p. 75, Kaup uses the 

 name albonotatus again for the S. American bird. 



- An example in Tring Mus. from Bolivia ^ (') has a wing measurement of 

 455 mm., and is therefore larger than Guianan birds, but I have been unable to see 

 any other southern birds. 



