BLACK HAWK. (VARIETY*) 



[Plate LIIL Fig. 2.] 



PE ALE'S Museum, JVo. 405. 



THIS is probably a younger bird of the preceding species, 

 being, though a male, somewhat less than its companion. Both 

 were killed in the same meadow, at the same place and time. 

 In form, features, and habitudes, it exactly agreed with the 

 former. 



This bird measures twenty inches in length, and in extent 

 four feet; the eyes, bill, cere, toes, and claws, were as in the 

 preceding; head above white, streaked with black and light 

 brown; along the eyebrows a black line; cheeks streaked like 

 the head; neck streaked with black and reddish brown, on a 

 pale yellowish white ground; whole upper parts brown black, 

 dashed with brownish white and pale ferruginous; tail white for 

 half its length, ending in brown, marked with one or two bars 

 of dusky, and a large bar of black, and tipt with dull white ; 

 wings as in the preceding, their lining variegated with black, 

 white and ferruginous; throat and breast brownish yellow, 

 dashed with black; belly beautifully variegated with spots of 

 white, black and pale ferruginous; femorals and feathered legs 

 the same, but rather darker; vent plain brownish white. 



The original colour of these birds, in their young state, may 

 probably be pale brown, as the present individual seemed to be 

 changing to a darker colour on the neck and sides of the head. 

 This change, from pale brown to black, is not greater than 

 some of the genus are actually known to undergo. One great 

 advantage of examining living, or newly killed specimens, is, 

 that whatever may be the difference of colour between any two, 

 the eye, countenance, and form of the head, instantly betray 



* As Wilson supposed this is the young of the preceding species. 

 VOL. I. Q q 



