BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



77 



midst and selecting his victims as whim or appetite urges. They often 

 choose the turtle doves, and swooping down in the midst of a flock 

 gathered about a pool of water, almost invariably contrive to seize 

 one of the birds ere the surprise caused by the suddenness of the 

 attack is over. Henshaw. 



333. Accipiter cooperi (BONAP.). 



Cooper's Hawk. 



DESCRIPTION. 



.1 (hilt. Upper part bluish-gray ; sides of head and breast also slightly marked with 

 same color ; top of head much darker, in some specimens nearly black ; feathers of 

 occiput when pushed aside white at base ; throat and under tail coverts white, the 

 former with blackish longitudinal lines ; other parts transversely barred with light 

 red and white; tail rounded, quite long, tipped with white and with four bands of 

 brownish-black ; bill blackish ; cue, legs and feet yellow ; iris reddish-amber. 



Ynn-iifi. Umber-brown above, more or less spotted with white and rusty-brown ; 

 white spots on scapular feathers conspicuous ; lower parts white with longitudinal 

 spots of brown ; tail tipped with white and branded as an adult ; bill bluish horn- 

 color ; tarsi and cue yellow or greenish yellow ; iris bright yellow. 



Dimensions. Female: total length, 18 to20inches ; extent, about b6 inches ; wing, 

 10 to 11 ; tail, about 8. Male : 16 to 18 inches ; extent, about 30 ; wing, 9 to 10 ; tail, 

 about 8 inches. 



i. North America in general, south to southern Mexico. 



This much detested and commonly called " Long-tailed Chicken or 

 Pheasant Hawk," is a common native; it is resident, but is not near 

 so plentiful during the winter months as throughout the late spring, 

 summer and early autumn. 



For impudent daring this species, without doubt, ranks preeminent 

 among the raptorial genera. Almost every farmer or poultry raiser 



