4 QUARTERLY BULLETIN. 



but rather thought it was an immature specimen of Buteo lineatusi 

 but being uncertain did not give it a specific name when I sent it to 

 you. The circumstances connected with its capture are as follows: 



Returning one morning from the head of a small pond in the vi- 

 cinity of Paw Paw, Mich., where I hail been duck shooting, I discov- 

 ered a Hawk perched on the dead branch of a leaning tree that grew 

 from the bank at the water's edge. 



I was in my boat, and at least twenty-five rods from the tree, in 

 full view of the bird, which was eyeing me attentively, so I had no 

 chance of approaching him except in lull view, and as he appeared 

 about to fly I gave up all hopes of getting a sh'ot at him. But to my 

 surprise he described a complete circle and came nearly over my 

 head, when I fired at him. 



He continued his flight in an awkward and laborious manner until 

 he reached the shore ; then dropped dead within a few feet of the 

 very tree irom which he started. 



I think that this was about the first of October, 1873, but am not 

 certain about the exact date. I have often thought of the peculiar 

 movement of this bird. Here, when I had given up all hopes of ap- 

 proaching him he should fly to me, as it were, to receive his death 

 wound, then return again to the shore to suffer himself to fall on dry 

 ground. I may add that I have never had any birds directly from 

 Europe, and none larger than an English Fieldfare. 

 Respectfully, yours, 



J. D. ALLEN." 



Although this species has been excluded from our ornithologies 

 for many years, yet this is not the first instance on record of the 

 capture of Buteo vulgaris in North America. As early as 1838, 

 Audubon made mention of it. In Vol. IV, page 508 of Orni- 

 thological Biography he says, speaking of his illustration, [PI. 

 372] : " The specimen from which the figure before you was ta- 

 ken was shot by Dr. Townsend on a rock near the Columbia 

 River, on which it had its nest." 



Then follows Audubon's description, which agrees in every 

 particular with my specimen ; differing utterly from that of 

 Swainson's Hawk (Buteo Swainsoni), which I have before me, 

 and which more recent authors appear to think Audubon had in 

 hand when he made his description. I give below the main 

 points of difference between Audubon's description and Swain- 

 son's Hawk, which will also apply equally to my specimen :— 

 "Feet; short, robust." Swainson's has quite slender tarsi. 

 " Wings; long, broad, the fourth quill longest." Swainson's 

 has the third the longest. •"The third next, the fifth very little 

 shorter, the second longer than fifth." Swainson's has the 

 fourth next longest, the fifth fully an inch shorter than the third 

 whilst the fifth is a little longer than the second, making quite 

 a differently formed wing from that of vulgaris. " First four 

 abruptly cut out on the inner web." Now it is a well known 

 character of Swainson's to have but three incised primaries. 



