46 FALCONID^. 



the differences, and we agree with Dr. Coues* that "Yar. striatulus" is untenable. 

 The late J. H. Gurney was of the same opinion. 



This Goshawk was long ago stated by Wagler to be found in Mexico 2, but neither 

 Salle nor his immediate followers nor Sumichrast make any mention of it. Nevertheless 

 it undoubtedly not only occurs in Northern Mexico but breeds there. Our first 

 Mexican specimen, was received from Mr. William Lloyd, who shot it in Sonora on 

 April 13th, 1888, a fully adult bird. Subsequently Mr. Richardson secured two young 

 birds in the Sierra de Nayarit, which were not fully feathered and had but lately left 

 their nest. They were shot on June 20th, 1889. In North America Astur atricapillus 

 is chiefly known as a northern bird, breeding beyond the limits of the United States 

 and in the higher mountains further south. It feeds chiefly on game-birds and poultry 

 and has a bad character for its raids on poultry-yards ^. Full accounts of the habits of 

 the species are to be found in Bendire's ^ and other works ^^''. 



ACCIPITEE. 



Accipiter, Brisson, Orn. i. p. 310 (1760) ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. i. p. 130. 



The range of Accipiter coincides approximately with that of Astur, but it is more 

 strongly represented in both North and South America than that genus. It may be 

 divided into two sections — one represented by A. cooperi and A. Ucolor, large birds 

 with rounded tails ; the other by A. velox and A. chionogaster, smaller, more sleader 

 birds with the tail nearly square at the end. 



Of the former two species are found within our limits, and of the latter three. 



The slender tarsi and long toes of the American species of Accipiter readily distin- 

 guish the genus from Astur; moreover, the former are covered in front by a single 

 shield instead of by short scutella. 



1. Accipiter cooperi. 



Falco cooperii, Bp. Am. Orn. ii. p. 1, t. 10. f. 1\ 



Accipiter cooperi, Scl. P. Z. S. 1859, p. 389'; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 401'; Lawr. Ann. 

 Lye. N. Y. ix. p., 134*; Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 298°; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 4, 

 p. 41 " ; Dugfes, La Nat. i. p. 138'; v. Frantz. J. f. Orn. 1869, p. 369'; Sharpe, Cat. Birds 

 Brit. Mus. i. p. 137°; Sumichrast, La Nat. v. p. 236"; Salv. Cat. Strickl. Coll. p. 494" ; 

 Bendire, Life Hist. N. Am. Birds, i. p. 192" ; Fisher, Bull. U. S. Dep. Agr. no. 3, p. 38, t. 5 ". 



Nisus cooperi, Eidgw. Pr. Ac. Phil. 1875, p. 78 ". 



Nisus cooperi, var. cooperi, Ridgw. in Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. Birds, iii. p. 231 ^'. 



Accipiter mexicanus, Swains. Faun.-Bor. Am., Birds, p. 45 ". 



Accipiter cooperi mexicanus, Ridgw. Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. xi. p. 93 ''. 



Nisus cooperi, var. mexicanus, Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. Birds, iii. p. 231 '^ 



Supra schistaceus, capite summo et tectricibus alarum minoribus obscurioribus ; genis pallide griseis, fusco 

 striatis : subtus rufua, plumis singulis maculis utrinque tribus albis, rhacbidibus nigris ; gutture fere albo 

 striis nigricantibns notato ; tectricibus siibcaudalibus pure albis ; tibiis saturate rufis, albo striatis ■ alis 



