FALCONID, DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY.—GEN. 159. 215 
10-11; wing 7; tail 5, more or less. North America, everywhere, very 
abundant. This elegant little hawk will be immediately recognized by its 
small size, and entirely peculiar coloration, although the plumage varies 
almost interminably. However the case may be with the West Indian and 
other exotic forms, no races have been discovered 
in this country sufficiently marked to require 
designation by name. But we may, perhaps, 
with Mr. Ridgway.(Proc. Phila. Acad. 1870, 
149), recognize var. isabellinus, as a Middle 
American coast form occurring in the Gulf States, 
although of course it shades directly into the 
ordinary plumage (no rufous on crown; several 
lateral tail feathers variegated, the black zone an 
inch wide; black spots on back and sides very sparse; breast ochraceous ; 
Q with the black bars above unusually broad, upon a ferrugineous ground). 
Fic. 142. Sparrow Hawk. 
Wits., ii, 117, pl. 16, f. 1; iv, 57, pl. 32, f. 2; Nurr., i, 58; Avup., i, 90, 
pl. 22; Cass. in Bp., 13; Coor., 462. . . . . SPARVERIUS. 
Femoral Falcon. Ashy-brown or pale slate, woe to age; forehead 
and superciliary line white, deepening to orange-brown on the auriculars ; 
two ashy stripes on side of head; wings and tail with numerous white bars ; 
under wing coverts buffy with numerous black spots; throat and breast white _ 
or tawny; belly with a broad black zone; tibive and crissum orange-brown. 
Length 15 or more; wing 103; tail 73. A widely distributed South and 
Central American species, reaching just over our Mexican border ; it belongs 
to the same section of the genus as the sparrow hawk, but is not at all like 
this or any of the foregoing species. Cass. in Bp., 11, pl. 1; Dresser, Ibis, 
1865, 3338 ; Cours, Proc. Phila. Acad. 1866, 42; Coor., 461. FEMORALIS. 
159. Genus BUTEO Cuvier. 
* Five outer primaries emarginate on inner web; bill high; nostrils oval, hori- 
zontal, with eccentric tubercle; feet robust. (Subgenus Crawirex.) 
Harris’ Buzzard. Dark chocolate-brown, nearly uniform; wing coverts 
and tibie brownish-red; upper tail coverts, base and tip of tail, white ; 
young duller brown, varied with fulvous; 9 nearly 24; wing 15; tail 10; 
$ smaller. A South and Central American species, reaching our Gulf 
border. Very different from any of the following species ; approaching the 
Polybori in habits. Avup., i, 25, pl. 5; Bp., 46. uNicrNcTUS var. HARRISII. 
** Four outer primaries emarginate on inner web. 
Cooper’s Buzzard. Very pale; below, pure white, the tibie tawny, the 
throat, breast and flanks with a few dark streaks; a blackish patch on under 
wing coverts ; crown and hind neck with the feathers largely white at base, 
x 
with dark tips and streaks; upper tail coverts white, rufous-tinged, dark- 
barred; tail mostly white, with ashy clouding, marked with rufous ;and 
darker in lengthwise pattern, and with dark subterminal zone; back dark 
brown with an ashy shade; 214; wing 15; tail 9. Santa Clara Co., Cala. ; 
” Ae te 
