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bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



The status of Bvteo borealis from the Greater Antilles has long been 

 in doubt, due to the difficulty of obtaining material. Now, however, 

 with a series of eleven birds from all the islands in the group it is 

 possible to reach some definite conclusions. I can detect absolutely 

 no difference in color in adults from either Cuba, Jamaica, Santo 

 Domingo, or Porto Rico; however, the Cuban birds are very large, 

 while those from the other three islands in the group are small, — 

 Cuban males are generally larger than females from the other islands. 

 Again, Buteo b. umbrinus of Florida is identical in coloration with the 

 Cuban bird, differing only in being slightly larger and with stouter feet 

 and claws. In fact for the present it seems best to regard birds from 

 the Florida peninsula, Cuba, and the Isle of Pines as B. b. umbrinus. 



For the bird inhabiting Jamaica, Santo Domingo, and Porto Rico 

 Gmelin's name jamaicensis must be applied. Gmelin's name is based 

 on Latham's "Cream-colored Buzzard" (Syn. 1, p. 49, n. 30) of Ja- 

 maica. There is little doubt that Latham described a form of Buteo 

 borealis, but in a remarkable plumage, probably albinistic. 



The Verrills described (Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Philadelphia, 61) 

 Buteo tropicalis from San Lorenzo, Dominican Republic. Although 

 their bird is referred to as an adult- male there is no doubt that the 

 description actually applies to an immature Red-tailed Hawk, as the 

 tail is said to be crossed by "from 7 to 9 dark bands." The name 

 Buteo tropicalis therefore becomes a synonym of B. b. jamaicensis. 



The following table of measurements shows the relative size of the 

 birds on the different islands and the Florida peninsula. 



Buteo borealis umbrinus. 



