66 FALCONID^.. 



Cauda grisea vix fulvo tinota, et fusco irregulariter variegata, fascia subterminali nigra. Long, tota 

 circa 20-0, ala; 15-0, caudae 8-7, tarsi 3-5. (Descr. exempl. typ. ex Louisiana. Mus. Brit.) 

 Juv. Fuliginoso-niger, maculis longitudinalibus ovatis albidis vel fulvescentibus in pogonio utroque variegatus ; 

 remigibus brunneis, nigricanti-brunneo regulariter transfasciatis et terminatis ; cauda griseo-brunnea, 

 albido terminata, tectricibus nigro lO-fasciatis ; loris conspicue albis ; facie laterali fere conoolore, saturate 

 brunnea ; corpore subtus nigricanti-brunneo, plumis basin versus albis aut albo transfasciatis ; tibiis albo 

 maculatim fasciatis ; subcaudalibus albis, late brunneo transfasciatis. (Exempl. S juv- ex Dakota 

 septentrionali. Mus. Brit.) 



Hah. North America, Gulf States and Mississippi Valley ^i, Texas ^. — Mexico, Vera 

 Cruz (Salle ^), Orizaba {Botteri^), Oaxaca (Boucard^). 



From the scanty material at our disposal, we are uuable to say much respecting the 

 various plumages through which this Buzzard passes; but, from an examination of the 

 specimens before us. we are induced to consider it a very well-marked species. The 

 black plumage and curiously mottled tail of the adult have no parallel in B. horealis 

 and the allied forms. 



This species appears to be resident in the Gulf States of North America, as far east 

 as Georgia and Florida and the lower Mississippi Valley, and casual specimens have 

 been found in Iowa, Kansas, Illinois, and Pennsylvania ; there is an immature example 

 of it from North Dakota in the British Museum. With regard to its distribution 

 in Central America, we are of opinion that the majority of specimens referred to 

 B. harlani have been wrongly identified, and this has proved to be the case in all 

 those which have come under our notice. Gurney ^ has described a Buzzard from 

 Vera Cruz, in the Norwich Museum, which must certainly be an immature example of 

 B. harlani ; but it is probable that the bird obtained by Botteri at Orizaba ^ was really 

 B. calurus, to which we think all our Guatemalan specimens should be referred. 



In habits B. harlani much resembles the Red-tailed Buzzards, but is described as 

 being very shy and wary, and its call-note is rather more drawn out. It affects the 

 wild and unfrequented districts of Florida, where Dr. W. L. Ralph says that it breeds, 

 but at present the nest and eggs have not been identified. 



8. Buteo lineatus. 



Barred-breasted Buzzard, Lath. Gen. Syn. i. p. 56 '. 



Falco lineatus, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 268 ^ 



Buteo lineatus, Scl. P. Z. S. 1857, p. 211'; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. i. p. 191*; Bendire, 



Life Hist. N. Amer. Birds, i. p. 219, t. 7. ff. 1-5°; Fisher, Bull. U. S. Dep. Agr. no. 3, 



p. 62, t. 8'; A. O. U. Check-1. N. Amer. Birds, p. 131 \ 

 Buteo elegans, Cassin, Pr. Ac. Phil. 1855, p. 281 " ; Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1869, p. 364 '. 



2 . Supra brunneus, rufo tinctus, pileo pallidiore brunneo rufo, plumis striolatim rufo marginatis ; scapula- 

 ribuB alisque, dorso imo, uropygio et supracaudalibus magis cinerascenti-brunneis, albo fasciatim notatis 

 vel apioatis ; tectricibus alarum minimis ferrugineis, plagam magnam exhibentibus ; remigibus extus 

 conspicue albo fasciatis; rectricibus nigricantibus, albo terminatis et prsetcrea fasciis quinque albis 

 transnotatis ; loris albicantibus ; facie laterali albida, rufo lavata et anguste brunneo lineata, genis 

 fuscioribus, fasciam mystacalem formantibus ; gutture albido, rhacMdibus plumarum fuscis ; gastrseo 



