240 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



lifter iiiakin,!,' tho first critical examination of tlie series at my command, was, 

 tiiat the c(jarsely niotllcd specimens wei'e confined to tlie east, and tliut tliose 

 finely mottled beneath were peculiar to the west ; and tiiis view I am not 

 yet prejjared to yield. I liavci never seen an adidt liird from any western 

 locality which agrees with the eastern ones described above ; all partaive 

 of the same characters as those described, in Iteing finely and faintly mottled 

 beneatli, with shar]) black shatl-streaks, producing the effect of a nearly 

 uniform bluish ground, the black streaks in conspicuous contrast, the tail- 

 Ijands neai'ly obsolete, etc. IJut occasional, not to say fre(|uent, individuals 

 ol)taineil in the eastern States, wiiidi agree in tiiese respects witli the western 

 style, ratlier disfavor the view tliat these differences are regional, unless we 

 consider that tliese troublesome individuals, Ijeing, of course, winter migrants, 

 liave strayed eastward from tlie countries where they were bred. The 

 Colorado female descriljed above exhibits a rather suspicious feature in hav- 

 ing a single feather, on the lower parts, which is coarsely barred, as in tlie 

 eastern style, wliile all tiie rest are finely waved and marbled as in tlie 

 western. If this would suggest that the differences supposed to be climatic 

 or geogra])hical are in reality only dependent on age, it would also indicate 

 that the finely mottled individuals are the older ones. 



If future investigations .should substantiate this suggestion as to the 

 existence of an eastern and a western race of Goshawk in North America, 

 they would be distinguished by the following characters : — 



Var. atricapilluB. Adult. Maikin{,'.s of the lower surface coarse and 

 ranffri-'d ; tbathors of llie pectoral region witii broad medial longitudinal 

 streaks of the .same slaty tint as the transverse bars, and with only the shafts 

 black. Tail-ljands distinct. Yountj. Pale ochraccons markings prevailing 

 in extent over the darker (clear grayish-mnber) spotting. Stripes beneath 

 narrow, dear briwni.<h; iho-e on the ; diliiks linear. Wing, 12.2.")- 14.5j; ' 

 tail, 10.00-12.7."); culnien. .80- l.OO; t.irsns, 2.00 -3.15 ; middle toe, 1.70- 

 1.95. Hdh. Kastern region of North America. 



Var. striatuluB. Adiilf. Markings of the lower parts fine and delicate, 

 and so dense as to present the appearance; of a nearly uniform bhiish-ashy 

 surface ; feathers of the pectoral region without tho medial stripes of 

 slaty, but with broad shaft-streaks of deep black, contr.isting very con- 

 spicuously with the finely mottled general surface. Tail-bands obsolete. 

 Ynuiitj. Darker (brownish-black) markings prevailing in extent over the 

 lighter (nearly clear white) ones. Stripes beneath broad, brownish-black; 

 those on the flanks cordate and transverse. Wing. 12.00 - 1,3.G0 ; tail, 9.50- 

 12.20; culmen, .85-1.00; tarsus, 2.70- .'i.L") ; middle toe, 1.70 - .185. Hab. 

 Western region of North America. 



LIST OK SPECIMENS EXAMINED. 



Var. atricapillns. 



National Museum, 8 ; Philadelphia Academy, 7 ; New Yorlc ifuscum, .3 ; Boston 

 Society, 2 ; G. N. Lawrence, 4 ; W. S. Brewer, 2 ; Museum, Cambridge, 2 ; R. Ridgway, 

 2. Total, 30. 



