FALCONJD.E. 45 



ably militates against this supposition. It is to be hoped that this respectable 

 ornithologist will give an improved account of his A. fringilloides, that its true 

 characters may be known. This is the more necessary from there being- another 

 Accipiter, inhabiting the extratropical latitudes of America, so completely resem- 

 bling A. Pennsylvanicus in its immature plumage, or in the female dress, that the 

 colours in both are precisely alike. It differs, however, from both Pennsyhanicus 

 and fringilloides not only in being much larger, but in having the tail distinctly 

 rounded, and the upper mandible of the bill much less festooned. We have 

 hitherto seen only the female of this species ; but the above characters may be 

 advantageously employed to separate it from Pennsylvanicus* * It was sent from 

 Real del Monte, and is now in the possession of our friend, Mr. Taylor. Inde- 

 pendent of the above distinctions, it is important to notice, that the anterior scales 

 on the tarsus of Pennsylvanicus are entire, being, apparently, formed externally of 

 one entire piece ; whereas, in Mexicanus, the transverse divisions are distinctly 

 visible. The particular structure of these parts in fringilloides has not been 

 mentioned. — Sw. 



DESCRIPTION 



Of a specimen killed near Moose Factory, lat. 51°. 



Colour of the upper plumage blackish-grey, brightening towards the rump into bluish-grey ; 

 all the shafts being black. There are several concealed large white spots on the scapularies. 

 The bastard wings, primary coverts, and five first quill feathers, have a dull umber-brown 

 colour, as if much worn : the succeeding five (new ones) have a shining blackish-brown tint, 

 and the secondaries are nearly of the colour of the rest of the superior plumage. Deeper 

 shades of colour form some obscure bars on the quill feathers, and there are six or seven large 

 white marks on their inner webs. The tail has also a worn appearance, and it is crossed by 

 several alternate bars of umber and wood-brown, and is tipped with white. The shafts of 

 the flag and tail feathers are brown. Under surface. Throat white, with black shafts. 

 Breast, belly, flanks, and thighs wood-brown, broadly barred with white. The linings of the 

 wings are brownish-white, with transverse peaked brown spots. The bars on the under sur- 

 face of the quill and tail feathers are very distinct. The under tail coverts are white. Bill 

 and claws blackish. Legs yellow. 



Form, &c. — Bill curved from the base, compressed, with a very distinct obtuse lobe on 



* Accipiter Mexicanus. (Swainson.) 



Sp. Ch. — Larger than A. Pennsylvanicus. Tail rounded, bill less sinuated. Length of the wing when closed, nine 

 inches and a quarter. Inhabits Real del Monte, Mexico. The validity of this specific distinction must, nevertheless, 

 depend upon an accurate examination of the F. velox of Wilson, to whose description the Mexican bird closely approxi- 

 mates. The size of velox appears smaller, being stated at thirteen inches, and the tail is " nearly even." Our bird is 

 full seventeen inches, and the tail much rounded, the four outer feathers being graduated, and the outermost nearly 

 three-quarters of an inch shorter than the middle feathers. We have not yet personally examined a specimen of velox, 

 which Prince C Bonaparte considers the female of Wilson's Pennsylvanicus ; this supposition, however, is clearly 

 erroneous. — Sw. 



