■i76 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Buteo latissimus (Wils.) 



BEOAD-WINGED HAWK. 



Fatco pennsyltanicus "WrLS. Am. Orn. vi, 1812. 92. pl.54,flg. 1 (not plate 46,flg. l,whfcli= 

 ^cc)>!(e)-j'e?03;. young).— AUD. B.Am. 1.1831. pi. 91; Orn. Biog. 1, 1839. 461.— Nutt. 

 Man. i. 1832. 105. 

 Bvteo penn^ylvanicus Bp. 1830.— Aud. Synop. 1839,7: B. Am. 1840, 43, pi. 10.— Cass, in 

 Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 29.— Baikd, Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 27.— CouES, Key, 1872, 

 217; Check Llst.l874.No. 355: 2d ed. 1S82, No. 524; B. N. W. 1874, 360. -B. B. & K. Hist. 

 N. Am. B. iii. 1874.— Bidgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881. No. 443. 

 Falco latissimus Wns. Am. Orn. vi, 1812, 92. pi. 54. flg. 1. 

 Buteo latissimus Shabpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. i, 1874,193. 



Hab. Eastern North America, north to Hudson's Bay; eastern Middle America and 

 south to Ecuador, Venezuela, and upper Amazon; Cuba (resident); and other West 

 India islands. 



Sp. Chae. Adult. Upper surface dark umber-brown, the feathers gradually paler 

 toward edges; on the back the feathers more uniformly dusky, causing a prevalent 

 blackish appearance. Bump and upper tail-coverts blackish vandyke-brown, the latter 

 tipped with pure white, and with a concealed bar of the same, about the middle of each 

 feather. Tail dull black, with an indistinct terminal band of dull brown, this fading ter- 

 minally into whitish; across the middle of the tail a broad band of dull light umber (in 

 some individuals approaching dull white) about three fourths of an inch in width; about 

 as far anterior to the main band as this is from tip is another much narrower and less 

 distinct band of the same color, crossing just beyond the ends of the coverts, or con- 

 cealed by them. Primaries uniform brownish black, fading on the terminal edge into 

 pale brown. Head above, and broad but inconspicuous "mustache," running from the 

 rictus downward across the cheek, dull black; the crown posteriorly, with the occiput 

 and nape, having the dull black mu«li broken by lateral streaks of dull rufous on all the 

 feathers; this diill rufous tint prevails on the rest of the head and neck, as well as the 

 breast, leaving the lores and chin aud lateral portion of the frontlet alone whitish; throat 

 streaked with blackish. Beneath dull brownish rufous, that of the breast almost unvarie- 

 gated; medially, however, are roundish spots of white on opposite webs, but these are 

 not confluent: posteriorly, these spots become gradually more numerous and more 

 transverse, forming on the flanks transverse bands, almost continuous: on the tibiee the 

 white prevails, the rufous bars being more distant, and connected ou'y by a brown shaft 

 line; lower tail-coverts with less numerous transverse spots of dull rufous. Lining of 

 the wing oehraceous white, with sparse, rather small, irregularly deltoid spots of dull 

 rufous: under surface of the primaries un variegated white, as far as their emargination, 

 beyond which they are black. Eourth quill longest: third a little shorter; second inter- 

 mediate between fifth and sixth; first about efiual to the ninth. Female (extremes No. 

 ;W,9ti9. Brookline, Mass., and No. 30.895. Mirador. Mexico— the latter the larger): Wing. 

 ll.OJ-11. 30: tail.0. 80-7.10; tarsus. 2.30; middle toe. 1.30. Hale {'So. 82,309. Moose Factory. 

 Hudson's Bay Territory): Wing, 10.50; tail. 6.30: tarsus, 2.30: middle toe, 1.20. 



Young, first year (No. 11,984. Washington, D. C). The blackish above is much 

 variegated, being broken by narrow rusty borders to the interscapulars, rump-feathers, 

 and lesser wing-coverts, broader and more oehraceous borders to scapulars and greater 

 wing- coverts, and partially concealed whitish spotting on the former. Upper tail- 

 coverts white, with broad bars of blackish brown: secondaries and primaries edged ter- 

 minally with whitish. Tail dull umber-brown, growing darker terminally, narrowly 

 tipped with white, and crossed with six indistinct, narrow bands of dusky, the (con- 

 cealed) bases of all the feathers white. Superciliary region, cheeks, chin, throat, aud 

 ontiro lower parts delicate pale oehraceous or whitish cream-color; a conspicuous 

 "muslaehe," a median longitudinal series of streaks on the throat, large longitudinal 

 ovate spots on sides of breast, cordate spots on sides and flanks, and sagittate spots on 

 tibiae, clear blackish brown. The oehraceous deepest on the abdomen and crissum. 

 Wing beneath as in adult. 



