SPECIES 9. FdLCO PENNSYLFJINICUS. 



SLATE-COLOURED HAWK.* 



[Plate XLVL Fig. I.] 





THIS elegant and spirited little Hawk is a native of Pennsyl- 

 vania, and of the Atlantic states generally; and is now for the 

 first time introduced to the notice of the public. It frequents 

 the more settled parts of the country, chiefly in winter; is at 

 all times a scarce species; flies wide, very irregular, and swiftly; 

 preys on lizards, mice and small birds, and is an active and da- 

 ring little hunter. It is drawn of full size, from a very beauti- 

 ful specimen shot in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia. The 

 bird within his grasp is the Tanagra rubra, or Black-winged 

 Red-bird, in its green or first year's dress. In the spring of the 

 succeeding year the green and yellow plumage of this bird be- 

 comes of a most splendid scarlet, and the wings and tail deepen 

 into a glossy black. 



The great difficulty of accurately discriminating between dif- 

 ferent species of the Hawk tribe, on account of the various ap- 

 pearances they assume at different periods of their long lives, 

 at first excited a suspicion that this might be one of those with 

 which I was already acquainted, in a different dress, namely, 

 the Sharp-shinned Hawk, figured in plate XLV of this work; 

 for such are the changes of colour to which many individuals 



* By comparing this bird with the Sharp-shinned Hawk, it will be obvious 

 that Wilson had good reason for his first opinion, that they are identical; al- 

 though he subsequently came to a contrary conclusion. It is probable that 

 they will be found to be the same, and that this is the adult, and the Sharp- 

 shinned Hawk the young bird. If this be the case, the name velox, which was 

 first given to this species by Wilson, must be retained; unless indeed it should 

 prove to be identical with the F. /itscus of authors, as asserted by Prince Musig- 

 najno; in which event this litter name must of course, having the priority, be 

 adopted. 





