Plate LXXXV. 



ACCIPITER GUTTATUS. 





(AZAEA'S SPAEEOW-HAWK). 



JEsparvero par do y 

 Sparvius guttatus 

 Accipiter guttatus 



Azara, Apunt. i. p. 113, N". 24. 



Vieillofc, N. D. d'H. N. x. p. 325 et E. M. p. 1266. 



Strickl. Orn. Syn. p. 110. 



Supra fumido-niger, pileo obscuriore, capitis lateribus plumbeis : subtus rufus, gutture plumbescentiore, maculis 

 indistinctis albis omnino notatus : tibiis ferrugineo-rufis ; crisso pure albo : subalaribus rufis : reniigibus intus albis 

 uigricante transvittatis : cauda supra fumido-nigra., subtus cinerascenti-alba nigro irregulariter transvittata : rostro 

 nigro, eera flavicante : pedibus flavis, unguibus nigris : long, tota 14*0, ate 7 "9, caudse 6*5, tarsi 2 2. Fern. Mari 

 similis, sed major, long, tota 19*0, ala3 9*7, cauda? 8'0, tarsi 20. 



Sab. in Paraguay a {Azara): Bolivia (Mm. Brit.). 



We first met with examples of this Sparrow-hawk in the collection of the British Museum, 

 and, recognizing its distinctness from the nearly allied Accipiter chilensis and A. coojperi, were for 

 some time inclined to regard it as undescribed. But a patient study of the complicated synonymy 

 of this group of birds has brought us to the belief that it may possibly be the JEsparvero pardo 

 y goteado of Azara, upon which Vieillot established his Sparvius guttatus, and it seems better 

 to employ this otherwise useless name for it than to invent a new one. The specimens first 

 spoken of by Azara seem to have been immature, but the example described by his friend 

 Nosecla (I. c. p. 114) in which the breast was cinnamomeous, appears to indicate a species 

 resembling the adult of the present bird. 



In general form and dimensions this Hawk closely resembles Accipiter chilensis, of which 

 it is no doubt the representative in the forests of the eastern side of the Andes; but it 

 is at once distinguishable by the full rufous of the under plumage. On the breast and belly 

 this is variegated by numerous incomplete white cross-bands, which occupy both webs of each 

 feather, leaving the centre rufous. These cross-bands are less apparent on the flanks^ and 

 totally disappear on the thighs and under wing-coverts ; the chin and throat are suffused with 

 slate colour. Next to A. chilensis, Azara's Sparrow-hawk presents greater resemblance to 

 A. cooperi than to any other species of the group with which we are acquainted, though, judging 

 from Mr. Lawrence's description, it cannot be unlike the Cuban A. gundlachi, a species we have 

 not yet been fortunate enough to meet with. From A. cooperi, the present bird is readily 

 distinguishable by the more cinnamomeous colouring below, and the pure unspotted rufous of 

 the thighs and under wing-coverts. In A. cooperi also the sides of the head and ear-coverts 

 are finely striped ; which is not the case in A. guttatus. 



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