356 



BUTEO SWAINSONI, SWAINSON'S BUZZARD. 



Bttteo viilqaris, Sw. & Rich., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 47, pi. 27 (not of European writerB). — 

 NuTT., Man. ii, 1834, 539.— (?) AuD., Syn. 1839, 5 ; B. Am. i, 1840, 30, pi. 6 

 (based oa Falco huteo of folio ed. pi. 372). 



Buieo montanus, Nutt., Man. 1, 2d ed. 1840, 112 (not of authors). 



Buieo swainsoni, Bp., List, 1838, 3; Consp. i, 1850, 19. — Strickl., Orn. Svn. 1855, 30. — 

 Brew., N. A. 061. 1857, 24.— Cass., Baird's B. N. A. ia58, 19 (not of Cass. 111. 

 l'^34, 98).— Bd., p. E. E. Eep. x, 1859, pt. iii, 11, pis. 12, 13.— Hayd., Eep. 1862, 

 152.— Blak., Ibis, iii, 1861, 317 (eggs).— Dress., Ibis, 1865, 324 (Texas).— 

 C(JUES, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 43 (Arizona). — Dall & Bann., Tt. Chic. Acad, i, 



1869, 272 (Alaska).— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 476.— Stev., U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 



1870, 462.— Merr., ibid. 1872, 697.— Cooes, Key, 1872, 217. -Snow, B. Kans. 

 1873.— B. B. & E., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 263.— CouES, A. N. viii, 1874 (biography). 



Snteo (Croj-irex) swainsoni, Gray, Hand-list, i, 1869, 7, No. 50. 



Huteo bairdii, Hoy, Pr. Phila. Acad, vi, 1853, 451 (young ; Wisconsin).— Cass., 111. 1854, 



99, 257, pi. 41.— Cass., B. N. A. 1858, 21.— Hayd., Eep. 1862, 152.— McIlwr., Pr. 



Ess. Inst. V, 1866, 81 (Canada). 

 Buteo insignatus, Cass., 111. 1854, 102, 198, pi. 31 (melanotic ; Canada). — Strickl., Orn. 



Syn. 1855, 38.— Cass., B. N. A. 18.58, 23.— Brew., N. A. Ool. 1857, 33.— Heerm., 



P. E. E. Eep. X, 1859, pt. vi, 32.— CouES, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 45.— Coop., 



B. Cal. i, 1870, 474.— Snow, B. Kans. 1873. 

 Buieo swainsoni var. insigttatus, Dali, & Baxx., Tr. Chic. Acad, i, 1869, 272 (Alaska). 

 Buteo (jutluralis, Maxim., J. f. O. vi, 1858, 17 (with eggs). 

 Buteo oxijpterm, Cass., Pr. Phila. Acad, vii, 1855, 283 ; B. N. A. 1858, 30 (young).— 



Striokx., Orn. Syn. 1655, 28.— Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 45.— Coop., B. Cal. 



i, 1.-70, 480. 

 Buteo swainsoni var. oxypterus, Eidgw. — ^B. R & E., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 266. 

 Buteo fulfjinosvs, Set., P. Z. S. 18.58, 356 ; Tr. Z. S. 1858, 267, pi. 62 {melanotic; Mexico).— 



Eidgw., Pr. Phila. Acad. 1870, 142. 

 Buteo " Jiarltini, AuD." — Bryant, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1861, 115 (provisional name ; proposes to 



adopt swainsoni in the probable event that the true harlani is a different species). 



Sab. — Chiefly Northern and AYestern North America. Alaska. Kansas. Wisconsin. 

 Canada. Massachusetts. Also Mexico, Central and parts of South America. 



List of specimens. 



10119 

 19120 



180 



7 



Powder Eiver . 

 Grosventres E. 



Sept. 24, 1859 

 June 3, 1860 



F. V. Hayden 22.00 

 do 19.00 



50.00 

 45.00 



16.50 

 15.00 



Lieutenant Warren's Expedition. — 5151, 5152, Little Missouri Eiver ; 5153 (?) Lonp 

 Fork of Platte Eiver ; 5154, mouth of Yellowstone Eiver ; 5155, Knife Eiver ; 5156, 

 mouth of White Earth Eiver ; 5157, Heart Eiver. 



Later Expeditions.— hiZ^, Wyoming ; 60631-2, Sweetwater ; 61765-6, Idaho ; 62226-9, 

 Wyoming ; 62230, Montana. 



As noted in a preceding article, this species may be distinguished from any style of 

 borealis in all its variations of color, by the emargination of only three, instead of 

 fonr, outer primaries. It is very truthfully figured by Dr. Richardson, and other plates 

 have been published, as above quoted, illustrating several of its plumages. " B. 

 bairdii" is now well-known to be the young bird, while "-B. f«8ignaiws" is merely a 

 melanotic condition. The species appears to inhabit chiefly the western portions of 

 America, but has occurred several times in Canada, and once in Massachusetts. Dr. 

 Hayden's numerous specimens attest its abundance in the whole Missouri region. The 

 confusion that has arisen respecting it is deplorable — the more so that there was no 

 occasion for any such misunderstanding. The mal-identification of montanus, Nutt., 

 has had much to do with causing this. It is, of course, permanently distinct from 

 borealis, although hastUy referred to this species by Mr. Allen. In bringing ' ' oxypterm " 

 and "fuliffinosus" into this connection, I follow Mr. Eidgway, who is unqne.stionably 

 correct in this determination. Even the varietal distinction he attempts to maintain 

 in his last work is untenable, as he informs me he is now satisfied himself. 



This large Hawk is very abundant in JSTorthern Dakota, where it 

 came under my almost daily observation during the summer of 1873. 

 Excepting an occasional Rough-leg or Eed-tail, it was the only buteo- 

 niue species observed, and the only Hawks more common were the 

 ubiquitous Marsh Harriers and Sparrow Hawks. The species is thor- 

 oughly distinct from its nearest ally, £. borealis ; it never gains the red 

 tail, so characteristic of the latter, and differs in many other points of 

 coloration in its several stages of plumage, as noted beyond. Although 

 it.s linear dimensions intergrade with those of the Eed-tail, it is not so 



