BUTEO PENNSYLVANICUS. 



289 



Tho C;inn(lltiu specimen and the one taken at Salem were in the melanistic condition as 

 given in the dark stage of the description, and the one obtained atWayhmd, was in a tran- 

 sitional or intermediate stage. According to descriptions, Swainsoti's ILiwk docs not dil- 

 ler strikingly in habit from other allied species, excepting that they occasionally build their 

 nests in shrubbery. 



BUTEO PENNSYLVANICUS. 



Broad-winged Hawk. 



Bu/iu Pennxylcanicus Box. Sjn.; 1828, 2!). 



DESCRIPTION. 



Si'. Cn. Fcirm, vatlicr sIoikIcv. Size, small. Tarsus, feathered in I'nmt for nuicli le-s llian half its length. Sternum. 

 stniU, not very narrow, with tluniiarsinal indentation.s quite large. Tongue, rather thick and fleshy, not very horny at tip 

 Avherc it is rounded but not bilid. Only three outer quills are inci.«ed on the inner webs. Cocca, present but short and 

 t!;ick. Sa.^es, similar in color. 



Coi.oi!. Ailull. Above, dark-brown everywdiere. lighter on the head and darker no the wingsand tail, witli the feath- 

 ers edg.d with ruCous. Wings, white on the edges of inner webs and very obseurely barred with blacl<. Tail. wl:it- at 

 basi' and tip arrl ■ ni-sel Avith tour bar~- of ashy-lirow-n, whioh b'ji'c^mo lighter on ilie iuner w,>lis. I>idi;s nf I e:d. nif u-, 

 streaked wit'i IpI.u';, Lipueaih. cverywl'ere pale yellnw:si:-ru(ous, siri'aknl on the thnjai witli eark-browu ai;il h.':.vily 

 marked cn the breast with broad strcakiugs of reddish-bniwn, wlale cat riiiuaining under poi ti-ms arc sputcjd « iili •■iri-ov;- 

 sliapeil marks of t'.;e .same color. Concealed spot on occiput, white. 



Youn/j. Similar to the adult above, but lighter on the bead, and the tail is cros.sed with nuiacnms olxs; ure bands of 

 dark-lirown. Beneath, also similar but the spots are rounder, not as large, nor as numerous, only occuring on the breast, 

 Hanks, and tilda. 



Youn(j of the year. Not unlike the young but more rufous below where the spots are rounder and-d-rkor, being, in 

 fact, nearly drop-shaped. 



Nesllinijs. Are, at first, covered with a yellowish down, then gradually assume the plumage Last described whicli is 

 retained for a year. Iris and bill, brown, cere, greenish, and feet yellow, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



There isa little variation in plumage, some specimens being darker than the type, but this species may l)e at once ree- 

 (igniz'-d hy t! e small size, incision cd'oiily three quills, nearly naked tarsus, and colors as tlcscribeil. Distributed, during 

 sannuer, throughout Eastern United States, wintering in the more southern portions. 



DI.AIENSTONS. 



A vemge measurement; of fomal,! specimens from Eastern North America. Lengtli, Ifr.W; stretch, 3175; wi;ig, 10-:;.>; 

 tail, (i-ijo; bill, 'OS; tarsus, a'2.5. Longest specimen, 18-(0; greate'^t extent of wing, .'5G00; longest wing, ll-.O.'J; tail, 7'1-'; 

 bill, -74; tarsus, 2'-15. Sliortest specimen, 15-00; smallest extent of wing, 33-.1.5; shortest wing, 10 11; tail, (i-15; hill, -(i-J; 

 tai'su-^, 'J' ir>. 



Avorago incasurcmcnts of male .specimens from Eastern North America. Length, l.'j-3.'5; stretch, 'HIH; wing, 10"1,'); 

 tail, 0-2.5; bill, -(13; tarsus, 2-l.J. L(mgest specimen, 10-50; greatest extent of wing, ."SS- 00; longest wing, 10 ."Jo; 'ail, 6-5!l; 

 liill, -05; tarsus, 'J-4(l. Shortest specimen, 14'20; smallest extent of wing. 3245; shortest wing, !);5; tail, O'Oi); liill, -58; 

 tarsus, 2-(!5. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND ECCS. 



leasts, placeil in trees. They arc bulky structures, composed of sticks and twigs, lined with leaves, weeds, and strips 

 oFbark. 



F.-j(js, tbrceor four in niunber, varying from el iptical to spherical inform, dirty-white in odor, spotted and blotched 

 with brown -.ind lunber of varying shades. Dimensions, fn m rGSx2-I5 to I'TO x220. 



HABITS. 



The first time that I ever saw a living Broad-winged Hawk to recognize it, was many 

 years ago. I was driving along a street in Newton, when T saw a small ihiwk iirnhed on 



