THE BROAD- WINGED BUZZARD. 43 



of the latter colour. Lesser wing-coverts bright yellowish-red, spotted with 

 brown; larger coverts and secondary quills dusky, broadly barred with white; 

 primary quills brownish-black, banded with white, the greater part of their 

 inner webs being of the latter colour. Lower parts of the neck and under 

 wing-coverts light yellowish-red, the former longitudinally lined with black- 

 ish; breast reddish-white, marked with transverse yellowish-red spots; abdo- 

 men and under tail-coverts reddish-white. Tibial feathers yellowish, trans- 

 versely barred with dull orange. 



Length IS inches; bill along the back 1^, along the gap from the tip of 

 under mandible 1^; tarsus 2f. 



Adult Female. 



The female differs from the male in being a little larger, and in having the 

 tints lighter. 



THE BROAD-WINGED BUZZARD. 



Buteo Pennsyl various, Wils. 



PLATE X.— Male and Female. 



One fine May morning, when nature seemed to be enchanted at the sight 

 of her own great works, when the pearly dew-drops were yet hanging at the 

 point of each leaf, or lay nursed in the blossoms, gently rocked, as it were, 

 by the soft breeze of early summer, I took my gun, and, accompanied by my 

 excellent brother-in-law, William G. Bakewell, Esq., at that time a youth, 

 walked towards some lovely groves, where many songsters attracted our 

 attention by their joyous melodies. The woods were all alive with the 

 richest variety, and, divided in choice, we kept going on without shooting at 

 any thing, so great was our admiration of every bird that presented itself to 

 our view. As we crossed a narrow skirt of wood, my young companion 

 spied a nest on a tree of moderate height, and, as my eye reached it, we both 

 perceived that the parent bird was sitting in it. Some little consultation 

 took place, as neither of us could determine whether it was a Crow's or a 

 Hawk's nest, and it was resolved that my young friend should climb the 

 tree, and bring down one of the eggs. On reaching the nest, he said the 

 bird, which still remained quiet, was a Hawk and unable to fly. I desired 

 him to cover it with his handkerchief, try to secure it, and bring it down, 



