FALCONID^ — DlUENAl EAPTORES. 481 



ArcMbuteo ferrugineus (Licht.) 



FEEEUGINOUS KOUGH-LEGGED HAWK. 



Popular synonym. California Squirrel Hawk. 



Falro ferrugineus Licht. Abh. K. Akad. Berl. lSi8. 429. 

 Archlbuteo ferrugineus Geat. 1844.— Cass, in Baird's B. N. Am, 1858,34.— Baibd, Cat. N. 

 Am. B. 1859,No. 32— CouEs. Key, 1872, 218; Clieek List, 1874, No. 357; 2d ed. 1832, 

 No. 52C; B. N. W. 1874, 363.— B. B. & E. Hist. N. Am. B. iii, 1874, 300 — ElDGW. Norn. 

 N. Am. B. 1881, No. 448. 



Hab. Western United States, east to the Mississippi Valley and Texas; north to the 

 Saskatchewan, south to table-lands ot Mexico. 



Sp. Char. Adult male [fio. 41,719. Fort Whipple, Arizona, Dec. 2,1864: Dr. Coues). 

 Ground color of head and neck white; each feather with a median streak of black, these 

 growing broader posteriorly; and along the upper border of the ear-coverts so blended 

 as to form an indistinct stripe back from the eye. Entire lower parts (except tibiie) and 

 whole under surface of the wing continuous pure white; bre.ast with a faint tinge of deli- 

 cate ochraceous. tibiae and tarsi reddish white, tinged with or inclining to deep ferru- 

 ginous on upper portion, and with numerous transverse bars ot darker ferruginous and 

 blackish; sides of the breast with a very few hair-like shaft-streaks of black; flanks with a 

 few distant, dark ferruginous bars; a.xillars with two or three cordate spots ot ferru- 

 ginous near ends; feathers of the lining next the body, with blended, irregularly has- 

 tate spots of rufous; under primary coverts shading into cinereous on terminal half. and 

 with indistinct broadly hastate spots of a darker shade of the same; primaries slaty be- 

 yond their emargination, deepening gradually toward their tips. Back, scapulars, and 

 lesser and middle wing-coverts fine rufous, each feather with a broad median, longitud- 

 inal spot of brownish plumbeous- black, these on the back rather exceeding the 

 rufous ; longer wing-coverts and secondaries ashy umber, with very indistinct transverse 

 bands of darker; primary coverts more ashy, and more distinctly banded; primaries 

 fine chalky cinereous, this lightest on outer four; shafts pure white. Rump nearly uni- 

 form brownish black,— posterior feathers rufous with mfidian black blotches; upper tail- 

 coverts snowy white on outer webs, inner webs more rufous; a few concealed blackish 

 transverse spots. Tail pale pearly ash, becoming white basally. and with a wash ot 

 dilute rufous :ilong the edge of outer webs; inner webs white, with an ashy tinge thrown 

 in longitudinal washes; outer feathers nearly white, with faint pale ashy longitudinal 

 mottlings; shafts of tail-feathers pure white. Fourth quill longest; third but 

 little shorter; second very much shorter than fifth; first intermediate between seventh 

 and eighth. Wing, 16.75; tail, 9.20; tarsus. 2.95; middle toe, 1.35. "Length, 22.50; extent, 

 54.50. Iris clear light yellow; cere, edges of commissure, and feet bright yellow; bill very 

 dark bluish horn; mouth. purplish flesh-eolor. livid bluish along edges." 



l'o«7i(; /pma/p (No. 41,720. Fort Whipple: Dr. Coues). Almost exactly like the male, 

 but black spots on rufous portions of upper parts much restricted, forming oblong spots 

 in the middle of each feather; rump almost entirely rufous, variegated, however, with 

 black. Longitudinal lines on breast more distinct; transverse bars on flanks and ab- 

 domen more numerous; third and fourth quills equal .and longest; second intermediate 

 between fifth and sixth; first equal to eiglith. Wing. 17.25; tail, 9.75; tarsus, 2.95; middle 

 toe, 1.40. "Length, 23 25; extent, 56.50. Iris light ochraceous brown." 



Young femal- (No. 6.883,Los Angeles, California: Dr. Heermann). General plumage 

 above grayish brown, interscapulars, scapulars, lesser and middle wing-coverts, and 

 feathers of head and neuk, edged laterally with light rufous; secondaries passing broadly 

 inlo pale ashy at ends; primaries slaty brown with obscure darker bands ; no appear* 



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