FALCONID/E — THE FALCONS. 



231 



same amount, rather predominating on the tibige. Wing, 10.70 ; tail, 9.00 ; tarsus, 2.45 ; 

 middle toe, 1.80. Fourth and fifth quills longest and equal ; third longer than sixth ; 

 second intermediate between sixth and seventh ; first three inches shorter than longest 



Youmj male (55,498, Fort Macon, N. C, February ; Dr. Coues). Above grayish- 

 umber; feathers of forehead, crown, and nape faintly edged laterally with pale 

 rusty ; occiput unvaried blackish, feathers white beneath the surface. Wing-coverts, 

 scapulars, and interscapulars narrowly bordered with pale yellowish-umber; rump and 

 upper tail-coverts bordered with rusty. Tail paler umber than the back, narrowly tipped 

 with white, and crossed by four bands of brownish-black, the first of which is only par- 

 tially concealed. Scapulars and upper tail-coverts showing much concealed white, in 

 form of roimdish spots, on both webs. Beneath clear white, without any yellowish tinge; 

 throat with a medial and lateral series of clear dark-brown streaks; jugulum, breast, sides, 

 flanks, and abdomen with numerous stripes of clear sepia, each showing a darker shaft- 

 streak ; tibia} with longitudinal streaks of paler and more rusty brown ; lower tail-coverts 

 immaculate. 



Young female (6,876 " Sacramento Valley, Cal." ; Dr. Heermann — probably from Penn- 

 sylvania). Similar to young male ; more varied, however. The black middle streaks of 

 feathers of head above narrower, causing more conspicuous streaks ; white spots of 

 scapular region considerably exposed ; longitudinal stripe beneath narrower and more 

 sparse. 



Hab. North America in general, but rare in the western division ; Eastern Mexico. 

 Not found in West Indies, wliere replaced by A. gundlachi, Lawr. 



Localities: Southeastern Texas (Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 323, breeds); Arizona (Coues, 

 Prod. 1866, 43) ; Costa Rica (Lawr. IX, 134). 



LIST OF SPECIMENS EXAMINED. 



National Museum, 12 ; Philadelphia Academy, 16 ; New York Museum, 3 ; Boston 

 Society, 2 ; Cambridge Museum, 1 ; Cab. Gr. N. Lawrence, 7 ; Coll. R. Ridgway, 4 ; 

 Museum, W. S. Brewer, 1. Total, 46. 



Var inexicanus, Swakson. 

 MEXICAN BLUE-BACKED HAWK. 



Accipiter mexicamis, Swains. F. Bor.-Am. II, 1831, 45. — Jard. (ed. "Wils.) Am. Orn. II, 

 1832, 215. — BoNAP. Consp. 32 (under A. fuseus). — Cass. B. Cal. & Tex. 96. — Ib. P. 

 A. N. S. 1855, 279 ; Birds N. Am. 1858, 17. — Coop. & Suckl. P. R. R. Rep't, VII, ii, 

 1860, 146. — Coues, P. A. N. S. Pliilad. 1866, 18. — Gr.\y, Hand List, I, 1869, 33. 



Adult male (12,024, Fort Tejon, Cal. ; J. Xantus). Forehead, crown, and occiput 

 plumbeous-black, feathers of the latter with basal two-thirds snowy-white, partially 

 exposed. Upper plumage deep plumbeous, darkest anteriorly, the back being scarcely 

 lighter than the nape ; rump fine bluish-plumbeous. No concealed white on the upper 

 parts. Tail brownish-plumbeous, narrowly tipped with pure white, and with four sharply 

 defined broad bands of black, — the first of which is faintest, and concealed by the coverts, 

 the last broadest ; shafts of tail-feathers deep brown throughout. Primaries and secou- 



