104 University of California Publications in Zoology t^oL. 30 



Circus hudsonius (Linnaeus). Marsh Hawk 



Found nowhere about Atlin during the breeding season. The first 

 south-bound migrant appeared August 26; then, September 9 to 15, 

 between Atlin and Lake Teslin, marsh hawks were seen in numbers 

 flying southward. Last seen, near Atlin, September 21. 



Accipiter velox (Wilson). Sharp-shinned Hawk 



Seen at Skagway, May 21. Undoubtedly nests in the Atlin region, 

 for occasional individuals were seen throughout the summer. Not 

 common at any time, not even after the southward migration had 

 begun. Last seen on August 29. One specimen collected, an immature 

 male, August 18 (no. 44728). 



Astur atricapillus atricapillus (Wilson). Eastern Goshawk 



Undoubtedly nests in the Atlin region, probably in the lowlands, 

 for individuals were seen at fairly frequent intervals throughout the 

 summer. In August there was a noticeable increase in numbers, mostly 

 of young birds, flying southward. Several immatures were shot but 

 not preserved, and all were of the pale coloration that appears to be 

 characteristic of the subspecies atricapillus. One specimen was skinned 

 (no. 44729), a male in adult plumage, almost fully acquired, taken 

 September 5. This bird is of interest in view of the argument advanced 

 by Taverner (1916, p. 360; 1918, p. 216) that the goshawk molts from 

 the streaked juvenal plumag^ into a coarsely barred stage (the sub- 

 species striattdus) and later into the more finely barred plumage that 

 is considered to be typical of the subspecies atricapillus. 



The bird in question had just molted from the juvenal plumage. 

 Very few juvenal feathers remain, but careful investigation before 

 the bird was skinned showed enough old streaked feathers on various 

 parts to demonstrate that this was the first assumption of adult 

 plumage. This bird is pale colored and finely barred, as in atricapillus. 

 Some of the breast feathers have rather broad mesial streaks but it is 

 otherwise just like other specimens of atricapillus at hand, and very 

 different from coastal examples of strkdvliis. 



The status of the two forms atricapillus and striatrdus cannot be 

 regarded as settled, but the evidence at hand points to the existence of 

 two such subspecies. Characteristic color differences occur in both 



