SWAINSON'S BUZZARD— CANADA BUZZARD. 59 



of examining " about forty specimens," I confess to being inclined 

 now to agree with him in his decision. He says, " The species 

 is thoroughly distinct from its nearest ally, B. borealis ; it never 

 gains the red tail, so characteristic of the latter, and differs in many 

 other points of coloration in its several stages of plumage, as noted 

 beyond. Although its linear dimensions intergrade with those of 

 the Red-tail, it is neither so heavy nor so large a bird, and its shape 

 differs in some points. A very tangible and convenient distinction 

 to which my attention was first called by Mr. Ridgway, and which 

 I have verified in numerous instances, is found in the emargina- 

 tion of the primaries. . . . Swainson's Buzzard has only //irce 

 emarginate primaries, while the Red-tail has /oin-; the fourth quill 

 of the former, like the fifth of the latter, is variously sinuate- 

 tapering, but never shows the decided nick or emargination of the 

 inner web." 



The dimensions of the adult Swainson's Buzzard are 19.00 to 

 20.00 long by 49.00 in spread of wing, the latter about 15.00. 

 Coues says that in both sexes and at all ages, the eye is of 

 varying shade of brown, and never yellow ; and that in the adult 

 birds the cere, gape, base of under mandible and feet, " are rich 

 chrome-yellow ; " the rest of the bill and the claws being bluish- 

 black. 



As this is an exceedingly interesting species, and other speci- 

 mens of it in one or other of its forms will undoubtedly yet be 

 taken in Canada, I append full descriptions of it in its adult and 

 immature stages. The first of these is Cassln's, and is taken from 

 the bird which was — and ought now to be — in the Montreal 

 Museum of Nat. Hist. The second is by Coues, and is very 

 thorough. 



{"] 



Far. Insignatus. 



Sf. Char. Adult Male. Under coverls of the wings and tail white — the former striped 

 longitudinally with pale rufous, and the latter transversely with reddish brown ; edges of wing at 

 the shoulder nearly pure white ; libis rufous irregularly barred with brown ; throat and a few 

 feathers of the forehead white, each feather having a line of dark brown, or nearly black. 



