ORDER ACCIPITRES. 249 



The male, in its full maturity, has the head, neck, chest, 

 and entire mantle of a bluish gray ; the wing coverts are also 

 of the same colour, more or less shaded with a red brown ; 

 the quills are black ; the throat and chest are shaded with 

 white, and the lower coverts of the tail are of a very clear 

 reddish ; the abdomen is black, mingled, and as it were 

 radiated, with red and white. A fine black, almost imper- 

 ceptibly streaked with brown, is the prevailing colour of the 

 limbs. The pen-feathers of the tail are partly black ; they 

 grow more gray, in proportion to their elongation, and are 

 terminated by brown. 



The female differs little from the male, except in having less 

 deep colours in the tuft, which is not so long, and more mixed 

 with gray, and in the two middle quills of the tail being shorter. 



The osseous prominences of the wings are not observed in 

 the young, nor indeed very apparent in the adult, except on 

 examination. They are, in fact, nothing but the apophyses of 

 the metacarpus. 



In the season of reproduction, there are long and obstinate 

 combats among the males. They strike with their wings, and 

 the female always falls to the lot of the conqueror. These birds 

 construct a nest, flat like the eagles', and lined internally with 

 wool and feathers. They place it in the highest and thickest 

 bush they can find, and sometimes even on large trees. The 

 same nest serves for a long time for the same couple, who 

 dwell alone, like the eagles, in a very extensive domain. The 

 female lays two or three eggs, white, with reddish points, 

 formed much like a goose-egg, but a little more elongated." 

 The young are a long while before they take to flight. They 

 cannot even run at the age of four or five months ; but when 

 full grown they run remarkably fast, and when pursued, prefer 

 this motion to flying, and take uncommonly long steps. "WTien 

 nothing frightens them, their step is slow and grave. They 

 are distrustful and cunning, and approached with considerable 

 difficulty. The male and female seldom sepEirate. They are 



Vol. VI. S 



