444 CANADIAN iPALCONlD^. 



been fortunate in meeting with specimens of a few rare birds, and in 

 some instances the examination of species not peculiarly rare has led 

 me to opinions differing somewhat from those most in vogue, or at 

 least to doubts on points of some interest which I think it may be 

 useful to record ; whilst the interest felt in birds is so general as to 

 justify the hope, that the subject will afford some entertainment to 

 most of my readers. 



What I shall now offer, will consist of an essay on the Canadian 

 species of the family Falconidas. 



Throughout the Falcon family, great difficulty in rightly determin- 

 ing the limits of species arises from the changes occasioned in the same 

 species by differences of age and sex, which often led the earlier 

 naturalists and those who have collected specimens without reference 

 to the birds in a living state, to multiply species improperly, whilst a 

 desire to avoid this fault, with a partial knowledge of the facts, has led 

 some moderns as it seems to me, conjecturally to unite really distinct 

 birds, as varying conditions of the same species„ I should be pre- 

 sumptuous if I hoped entirely to escape these opposite dangers myself, 

 but I have cautiously endeavoured to find the right mean, and the 

 suggestion of doubts for which there is even an apparent justification, 

 may at least be useful in directing inquiry, or leading experienced ob- 

 servers to communicate the grounds for satisfactory decision. 



Mr. Gray, possibly carrying subdivision to an extreme, ranges the 

 Falconid^ under seven sub-families. Of these, Polyborince, the vul- 

 ture-hawks, nearly confined to South America, and Milvinoe, the kites, 

 are unrepresented amongst us ; unless indeed the beautiful swallow- 

 tailed kite of the neighbouring States [Nauclerus furcatus] could be 

 obtained within our borders. The remaining sub-families. Buzzards, 

 Eagles, Falcons, Hawks and Harriers are all well represented. 



The Buzzards, Buteonince, are known by their long wings, powerful 

 feet, beak arched from its base, without tooth, or more than the slight- 

 est festoon, and even tail. The majority of these, form the Genus 

 Buteo, whilst a few, with the Tarsi feathered to the foot are now named 

 Archeluteo. The common buzzard, [Buteo vulgaris] is given by Sir 

 J. Richardson, in Fauna Bor. Am., as a native of the fur countries, 

 but it is now supposed, that his specimens belonged to B. horealis, an 

 undoubted North American species. Of this latter, under which 

 Mr. Gray includes several seemingly distinct forms, I can say nothing 

 at present, as I am not so fortunate as to possess a specimen. 



