BUTEO. 57 



S feminae similis, sed minor. Long. tofc. circa 19'0, alse 13-5, caudse 9-0, tarsi 3-5. (Descr. ex spec, ex 

 Zaoatecas. Mus. nostr.) 



Juv. Bninneus, ochraceo lavatus ; supracaudalibus albis ; cauda brunnea, anguste albo terminata, et faaciis 

 fere viginti nigricantibns : subtus ochrascens, maculis magais saturate brunneis ornatis ; tibiis fulvis, rufo 

 tinctis, et anguste nigro transfasciatis. (Descr. fern. juv. ex Tambo Valley, S. Peru. Mus. nostr.) 



Hob. North America, Louisiana, Texas, Southern New Mexico, Southern Arizona, 

 Lower California ^5. — Mexico, Eio Salado, Nuevo Leon {F. JS. Armstrong), 

 Guaymas, Sonora {L. Belding ^^), Choix, Sinaloa ( W. Lloyd), Mazatlan 

 [Grayson ^^, Kegel ^), Presidio de Mazatlan {A. Forrer), Zacatecas [W. B. 

 Bichardson), Santana near Guadalajara {W. Lloyd), Tepic, Jalisco [Grayson ^^), 

 Colima {Xantus^^), Guanajuato (Duges^), Tehuantepec (Sumichrast^^, W. B. 

 Bichardson), Tapanatepec {Sumichrast ^^), Oaxaca {Sumichrast ^^) ; Guatemala 

 {G. IT. STcinner'^); Nicaragua, San Rafael del Norte [W. B. Bichardson); 

 Costa Rica, La Palma, Gulf of Nicoya (C C. Nutting ^^), San Jose (Zeledon^^, 

 Cherrie ^^) ; Panama ^s, Santa Fe de Veraguas {E. ArcS ^o). — Venezuela i* ; 

 Ecuador ^ ; Peru ^ ; Chile ^". 



This species is very common and breeds abundantly in some of the Southern United 

 States, especially in Texas, and in Lower California. It probably breeds in Mexico 

 also ; but of this we have no confirmation, as nearly all our specimens have been 

 procured in spring or autumn. We have examined immature birds from Ecuador, 

 Venezuela, Peru, and C'hile, but have no direct evidence of their breeding in these 

 countries. 



Possibly B. harrisi is only a partial migrant to South America, and this would 

 account for its apparent rarity iu many parts of Central America. We did not meet 

 with It in Guatemala, though Skinner obtained a specimen in that country. Only a 

 few examples have been procured in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, and those 

 we received from Mr. Richardson and others from Mexico were all obtained between 

 August and March. In South America, from Eastern Brazil to Argentina, and as far 

 inland as Salta, its typical ally (B. unicinctus) differs but little ; it is somewhat blacker 

 and never entirely loses the mottled appearance of the under surface, while the rufous 

 thighs of the southern bird are always cross-barred. In B. harrisi the plumage is 

 perfectly uniform in colour both above and below, and the thighs are chestnut without 

 any blackish cross-bars. 



In habits the species is frequently described as sluggish. According to Mr. Sennett 

 its food consists of mice, lizards, birds, Slg.^^ 



In Costa Rica Mr. Nutting ^^ says that it is an inveterate poultry thief, associating 

 with the Turkey -Vultures and eating offal. 



The nest is either placed in low bushes or in trees at a height of forty or fifty feet 

 from the ground. 



The eggs are two or three in number, white or sparsely marked with rufous. 

 biol. CENTR.-AMER., Aves, Vol. III., November 1900. 8 



