60 RAPTORES. BUTEO. BUZZARD. 



traversed by the Expeditions under Sir JOHN FRANKLIN, 

 though, from its very shy character, only one specimen could 

 be procured. Dr RICHARDSON informs us, that " a pair 

 were seen at their nest, built of sticks, in a lofty tree, stand- 

 ing on a low, moist, alluvial point of land, almost encircled 

 by a bend of the Saskatchewan. They sailed round the spot 

 in a wide circle, occasionally settling on the top of a tree ; 

 but were too wary to allow us to come within gunshot." Its 

 residence in the Fur Countries is not however permanent, as 

 it retires southwards in October, to winter upon the banks of 

 the Delaware and Schuylkill ; returning again to the north 

 early in spring. 



The figure at PLATE 7. represents a female bird, of the na- 

 tural size, killed in the winter of 1815, and now in my 

 possession. 



General Bill bluish-black, darkest towards the tip; small and 

 ^ escrip- weak ; bending rapidly from the base ; the cutting mar- 



gin of the upper mandible shewing only a faint sinua- 

 tion. Commissure reaching rather beyond the anterior 

 orbit of the eye. Cere and irides gamboge-yellow. Lores 

 covered with small whitish feathers (shewing an ap- 

 proach to the genus Pernis), which are partly concealed 

 by the bristly black hairs, disposed in a radiating form. 

 Head, neck, and throat, yellowish-white, inclining to 

 cream-colour, with slender streaks of umber-brown. 

 Breast yellowish- white, with large spots of umber-brown. 

 Lower part of the belly umber-brown, forming a broad 

 bend across that region. Thighs cream-yellow, with 

 arrow-shaped brown spots ; the feathers very long and 

 soft. Tarsi covered with feathers, colour cream-yel- 

 low, with a few brown specks. 



Back and wing coverts umber-brown, the edges of the fea- 

 ther paler. Lower part of the inner webs of the great- 

 er quill-feathers white. Quills notched and sinuated, 

 as in the Common Buzzard. Upper tail-coverts and 



