256 COUES, BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND. 



Hawk." Resident. Common in most localities. Most 

 numerous in summer, breeding ; probably the greater 

 number retire south in winter. 



No. 44. Essex Co. 



Accipiter fascus Bon . Sharp-shinned Hawk . " Pigeon 

 Hawk." Abundant. Resident in more southern localities, 

 summer visitant further north. The Maine authorities do 

 not give it as wintering in that State. 



This species, in common with F. columbarius, has re- 

 ceived the popular name of " Pigeon Hawk " ; and local 

 naturalists should be careful to state which of the two 

 species they refer to in using the latter appellation. It 

 seems that some errors of identification have arisen from 

 inattention to this point. 



No. 12, $. Essex Co. N. Vickary, 1860. 



No. 13, ? . Essex Co. 



No. 14, $ , adult. Essex Co. 



No. 15, $ , young. Essex Co. 



Buteo borealis Vieill. Red-tailed Buzzard. "Hen 

 Hawk." Abundant. It probably retires from extreme 

 northern sections in the depth of winter. 



No. 4, $ , adult. Middleton, Essex Co. Mrs. E. K. Colcord, Aug. 

 14, 1851. 



Buteo lineatus Jard. Red-shouldered Buzzard. "Hen 

 Hawk." Abundant. Breeds. Resident, except in ex- 

 treme northern sections, whence it retires in winter. 



The large size of some northern examples, compared 

 with others from Southern United States, has induced 

 Prof. Verrill (p. 5) to recognize a variety hyemalis ex 

 Gm.* of this species. Considered as simply expressive 

 of an instance of the law regarding size now well known 

 to obtain, such a procedure is entirely pertinent ; but I 

 am disinclined to allow that the differences are of the kind 

 or degree to which are usually accorded a name, and the 

 rank of a distinct "variety." 



The " Falco buteoides" (Nutt., Man., 1st ed., 1832, i, p. 



*F. hyemalis Gm. is generally supposed to have been based upon the 

 young lineatus, in which plumage the under parts are white, not red- 

 dish. This condition was usually regarded by our earlier ornitholo- 

 gists as constituting a species distinct from lineatus, the '-'Winter 

 Falcon," F. hyemalis Wils., Aud., Nutt., etc. 



