FAL CONIDM — A CCIPITBINJE : HA WK8. 



529 



by species of Buteo). The colors and changes of plumage of this species being practically 

 the same as those of A. fuseus, need not be repeated. The chief difference is, that the crown 

 of the adult is usually appreciably darker slate than the back ; the white scapular spots are 

 smaller, fewer, or wanting ; in high plumage the upper parts are clearer bluish, while the 

 breast has a fine glaucous bloom overlying the rufous and white ground-colpr ; the tail is 

 more decidedly white-tipped. A small ^ cooperi grades in size nearly down to a large ? 

 fuseus, but "there ap- 

 pears to be constantly 

 a difference of a couple 

 of inches of total length 

 at least ; and in any 

 event, the other char- 

 acters above given will 

 suffice for their discrim- 

 ination. In either spe- 

 cies, the yellow of the 

 (•ere and feet is often or 

 usually obscured with 

 greenish. In cooperi, 

 the tarsal scutella are 

 sometimes less distinct 

 than is normal, but are 

 not known to fuse into 

 a boot. A large 9 not 

 distantly resembles a 

 young male Goshawk; 

 but the diiference in 

 feathering of the tarsus 

 is distinctive. Tem- 

 perate N. Am. at large, 

 and southward; one of 

 the common ' ' chicken " 

 hawks, and a fellow 

 of great audacity and 

 prowess, preying on 

 birds up to the size 

 of grouse and domestic 

 poultry. Nesting as 

 described for .4. fuseus. 

 The eggs I have ex- 

 amined measure from 



1.80 X 1-45 to 2.10 X 1.60 (figures showing the variation both in size and shape), averaging 

 about 1.90 X 1.50. They resemble those of the marsh hawk so closely as not to be certainly 

 distinguishable, but are usually more globular, and with a more granulated sheU. The 

 greatest diameter is at or very near the middle ; difference in shape of the two ends is rarely 

 appreciable. All are more uniform in color than those of most hawks, resembling the pale, 

 scarcely-marked examples occasionally laid by most kinds; none are conspicuously dark- 

 marked. The ground is white, faintly tinted with livid or greenish-gray; if marked, it is with 

 faint, sometimes almost obsolete, blotches of drab, liable to be overlooked without close inspec- 

 tion; only an occasional specimen is found with decided, though still dull and sparse, markings 



Fig. 371. — European Goshawk, young (f. } nat. size, not distinguishable in the 

 cut from the American Goshawk ; change of scale to J or J would make It repre- 

 sent the young ^ Cooper's or Sharp-shinned Hawk. (From Brehm.) 



