RED-SHOULDERED BUZZARD— WINTER FALCON. 55 



Some pairs of these Hawks or Buzzards nest regularlj- at 

 St. Rose, to the northward of the cit\- of Montreal, and Mr. Couper 

 informs me that their eggs have been several times taken by 

 Mr. Dunlop. 



The birds figured on the accompanying plates have been 

 carefully selected from among a great number of specimens, and 

 are truthful representations of the two forms most generally met 

 with. The Winter Falcon (the young) on Plate XII. is one of 

 the most perfectly mounted specimens I have ever met with, and 

 being in spring plumage, forms a picture that for accuracy and 

 beauty has never been equalled in any work on ornithology. The 

 adult bird on Plate XI. is far from being the best of the individ- 

 uals I have had to select from, but as it is in the plumage most 

 commonly met with, it will serve better the object of the present 

 work than would any of the other — perhaps more beautiful, but 

 certainly less frequently met with — forms of plumage. Were I 

 to attempt to illustrate the various stages passed through by this 

 Hawk from the yozing-of-the-year to its true adult form, twelve 

 plates would not be sufficient. 



The number of individuals of this species taken on our 

 various expeditions amounts in all to forty-three ; the majority 

 of these being immature birds. 



Sp. Char. Adult. Wing coverts from its flexure to the body, fine tjright rufous ; breast and 

 other lower parts of the body paler orange rufous, many feathers with transverse bars and spots of 

 white, which predominate on the abdomen and under tail coverts ; entire upper parts brown ; on 

 the head mixed with rufous, and with white spots on the wing coverts and shorter quills and rump ; 

 quills brownish-black, with white spots on their outer webs ; tail brownish black, with abottt five 

 transverse bands of white and tipped with white. 



Young. (Winter Falcon). Entire under parts yellowish white, with longitudinal stripes and 

 oblong spots of dark brown ; throat dark brown (this is variable) ; upper parts lighter ashy 

 brown, with many partially concealed spots and bars of white ; quills dark brown, with wide 

 transverse bars of rufous and white on both webs ; tail ashy brown, vifith numerous bars of pale 

 brownish and rufous white ; tail beneath silvery white. 



Total length — Female : 21 to 23 inches ; wing, 14 inches ; tail, 9 inches. 

 " Male : 18 to 20 inches ; wing, 12 inches ; tail, 8 inches. 



Iris brown ; bill horn-blue ; cere and feet yellow. 



