BLACK HAWK. 75 



in plumage, yet in all their characteristic features they strikingly 

 resemble each other. The Chocolate-colored Falcon of Pennant, and 

 St. John's Falcon of the same author (Arct. Zool. No. 93 and 94), are 

 doubtless varieties of this ; and very probably his Rough-legged Falcon 

 also. His figures, however, are bad, and ill calculated to exhibit the 

 true form and appearance of the bird. 



This species is a' native of North America alone. We have no 

 account of its ever having been seen in any part of Europe ; nor have 

 we any account of its place, or manner of breeding. 



BLACK HAWK.— ( VARIETY.*) 



[Plate LIII. Fig. 2.J 



This is probably a younger bird of the preceding species, being, 

 though a male, somewhat less than its companion. Both were killed 

 in the same meadow, at the same place and time. In form, features, 

 and habitudes, it exactly agreed with the former. 



This bird measures twenty inches in length, and in extent four feet ; 

 the eyes, bill, cere, toes, and claws, were as in the preceding ; head 

 above white, streaked with black and light brown ; along the eyebrows 

 a black line ; cheeks streaked like the head ; neck streaked with black 

 and reddish brown, on a pale yellowish white ground ; whole upper 

 parts brown black, dashed with brownish white and pale ferruginous ; 

 tail white for half its length, ending in brown, marked with one or two 

 bars of dusky, and a large bar of black, and tipped with dull white ; 

 wings as in the preceding, their lining variegated with black, white and 

 ferruginous ; throat and breast brownish yellow, dashed with black ; 

 belly beautifully variegated with spots of white, black and pale ferru- 

 ginous ; femorals and feathered legs the same, but rather darker ; vent 

 plain brownish white. ^ 



The original color of these birds, in their young state, may probably 

 be pale brown, as the present individual seemed to be changing to a 

 darker color on the neck and sides of the head. This change, from 

 pale brown to black, is not greater than some of the genus are actually 

 known to undergo. One great advantage of examining living, or newly 

 killed specimens, is, that whatever may be the difference of color 

 between any two, the eye, countenance, and form of the head, instantly 

 betray the common family to which they belong ; for this family like- 



* As Wilson supposed, this is the young of the preceding species. 



