18 



U. S. p. E. E. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL EEPOET. 



The young male of A. Cooperi may be mistaken for the young female of the present bird. The 

 three American species of Accipiter, however, may be said to be so much alike in color as to 

 almost represent different sizes of one species. It is a group in which size is a specific character. 



List of specimens. 



ACCIPITER FUS0U8, Gmelin. 



Sharp-shinned Hawk. 



Fakofuscus et dubius, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, 280, 281, (1788.) 

 .Sccipiter striatus, Vieill. Ois. d'Am. Sept. I, 42, (1807.) 



Falco velox et pennsylvanicus, Wilson Am. Orn. V, 116, and VI, p. 13, (1812.) 

 Sparvius lineahis, Vieill. Ency . Meth. Ill, 1266, (1823.) 

 Jfims Midfini, Lesson. Traite d'Orn. 1, 58, (1831.). 

 FiGnRES.— Temm. pi. col. 67 ; Vieill. Ois. d'Am. Sept. pi. 14 ; WilsonAm. Orn. V, pi. 45, %. 1, and VI, pi. 46, fig. 1 ; 

 Aud. B. of Amer. pi. 374, Oct. ed. I, pi. 25. 



Mult. — Small, tail rather long ; legs and toes slender ; entire upper parts brownish black, tinged with ashy; occiput mixed 

 with white ; throat and under tail coverts white, the former with linea of black on the shafts of the feathers ; other under parts 

 fine light rufous, deepest on the tibia;, and witli transverse bands of white ; shafts of the feathers with lines of dark brown ; tail 

 ashy brown, tipped with while, and with about four bands of brownish black ; quills brownish black, with bands of a darker shade, 

 and of white on their inner webs; secondaries and tertiaries with large partially concealed spots of white. 



Young. — Entire upper parts dull umber brown, tinged with ashy; neck behind mixed with white ; greater wing coverts and 

 shorter quills, with large partially concealed spots of white ; under parts white, with longitudinal stripes and circular and ovate 

 spots of reddish brown, changing into transverse bands on the flanks and tibite ; under tail coverts white ; bill dark bluish horn- 

 color ; cere and tarsi yellow. 



Total length, female, 12 to 14 inches; wing 7j to 8, tail 65 to 7 inches. Male, 10 to 11 inches; wing 6 to 6^, tail 5to5| inches. 



Hai. — Throughout North America and Mexico. Spec, in Nat. Mus. Washington and Mus. Acad. Philadelphia. 



Apparently, this handsome little hawk inhabits the whole of North America, from Mexico to 

 the confines of the frigid zone. Numerous specimens, from various localities, are in the collec- 

 tions of the expeditions. 



This little hawk, when in adult plumage, much resembles Accipiter nisus of Europe ; but the 

 young are quite different, as is the case with nearly all the species of this family inhabiting 

 North America, which resemble species of the Old World, 



