58 ASH-COLORED, OR BLACK-CAP HAWK. 



Wilson states, that this species, on the coast of New Jersey, com- 

 mences laying about the first of May ; but I observed it sitting, in East 

 Florida, on the third of March. The weather was then warm : Fahren- 

 heit being at 80° in the shade. — G. Ord. 



Species VII. FALCO ATBICAPILLUS* 



ASH-COLORED, or BLACK-CAP HAWK. 



[Plate LII. Fig. 3.] 



Of this beautiful species I can find no precise description. The Ash- 

 colored Buzzard of Edwards differs so much from this, particularly in 

 wanting the fine zig-zag lines below, and the black cap, that I cannot 

 for a moment suppose them to be the same. The individual from which 

 the drawing was made is faithfully represented in the plate, reduced to 

 one-half its natural dimensions. This bird was shot within a few miles 

 of Philadelphia. 



Its- general make and aspect denote great strength and spirit ; its legs 

 are strong, and its claws of more than proportionate size. Should any 

 other specimen or variety of this Hawk, differing from the present, occur 

 during the publication of this work, it will enable me more accurately to 

 designate the species. ' 



The Black-cap Hawk is twenty-one inches in length ; the bill and 

 cere are blue ; eye reddish amber ; crown black, bordered on each,side 

 by a line of white, finely specked with black ; these lines of white meet 

 on the hind-head ; whole upper parts slate, tinged with brown, slightest 

 on the quills ; legs feathered half way down, and, with the feet, of a 

 yellow color ; whole lower parts and femorals white, most elegantly 

 speckled with fine transverse pencilled zig-zaglines of dusky, all the 

 shafts being a long black line ; vent pure white. 



If this be not the celebrated Goshawk, formerly so much esteemed in 

 falconry, it is very closely allied to it. I have never myself seen a 

 specimen of that bird in Europe, and the descriptions of their best 

 naturalists vary considerably ; but from a careful examination of the 



* Falco-Palumharius, Linn. As was suspected by Wilson, tliis is not a new 

 species, but the celebrated Ooshawk. The following synonymes are given by 

 Prince Musignano: Falco Columbarius, Gum,. Syst. i., p. 281. Lath. — Temm. — 

 F.geniiliSf Linn. Gmei,. Syst. i.,p. 270. Lath, (young) F. gaUinarius. Linn. Lath. 

 (very young female.) V Autour, Buff. PI. Enl. 418. (adult) L'Autour sors, Buff. 

 PI. Enl. 461 (young). Le Buzard, Buff. PI. Enl. 423. (very young female.) See 

 Journal Acad. Nat. So. iii., p. 346. 



