272 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Dr. Cooper found this bird pretty common in the vicinity of San Diego, in 

 March, 1862, when they were apparently migrating northward. Tn their 

 habits they appeared to resemble the larger varieties of Buzzards. Mr. Salvin 

 obtained a single specimen of a Hawk at Duenas, which is referred by Mr. 

 Gurney to this variety (Ibis, I, 216). 



The variety oxypterus, of this species, was first described from an imma- 

 ture specimen obtained at Fort Fillmore, New Mexico, It ranges southward 

 throughout tropical America to Buenos Ayres. 



Buteo zonocercus, Sclatek. 



BAND-TAIL HAWK. 



11 Buteo albonotatus, G. R. Gray, Isis, 1847, p. 329. Buteo zonocercus, Sclatek, Trans. 

 Zobl. Soc. Lond. IV, pt. vi, 263, 1858.— Coues, Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 46.— Elliot, Birds 

 N. A. pi. xxxiii. — Gray, Hand List I, 8, 1869. — Cooper, Birds Cal. 1870, 479. 



Sp. Char. Adult (36,872, Hassayampa River, Arizona Territory, August; Dr. Coues). 

 Entirely carbonaceous black ; forehead pure white, and feathers of occiput, neck, and breast 

 the same beneath the surface ; this on under parts, showing as transverse, ovate spots on 



S2763,S. 



52T63,S. ^ "X. 



52TGS,t 



Buteo zonocercus. 



webs of feathers, partially exposed. Tail black, faintly tipped with pale ashy, crossed 

 (about If inches from the end) by a band of hoary plumbeous, nearly an inch in width ; 

 about half an inch anterior to this is another plumbeous band, about as broad as the black 

 one which separates it from the last ; and about the same distance, near the base, is another, 

 much narrower, and less continuous ashy band. The outlines of these bands are rather 

 irregular ; and on the inner webs the plumbeous is replaced by snowy white, which, not 

 exactly corresponding to the plumbeous of outer webs, is rather more extended, as well 

 as more sharply defined, forming three very conspicuous transverse zones (decreasing in 

 width towards the base like those on outer webs), observable only when the tail is spread, 

 or from below. On the two middle feathers both webs are plumbeous and black ; and 

 on the lateral feathers, the white prevails on the inner web, the black bands being broken 

 un into narrow zisrzasrs. Primaries less intensely black than the back, and showing' ob- 

 scure transverse bands of deeper black ; lining of the wing unvariegated black ; under 

 surface of primaries pale plumbeous, passing into hoary Avhite on edges, and crossed from 

 base to ends with very irregular, transverse bars of blackish, these breaking up into a 

 mottling, or blended speckling, along the edges of the feathers. Owing to moulting stage, 



