No. V.] 



ZOOLOGY. 



671 



Falco Uliginosus. Marsh Hawk. 



The bird is well described and figured by Wilson, who conjectured it might be the 

 same as the Ringtail of Pennant and Latham ; the latter of which writers has made 

 the Marsh Hawk a variety of the Ringtail ; but neither of them seem to have known 

 the Marsh Hawk, except from Edwards's very incorrect figure, which led the former 

 to make short thick legs the characteristic of the bird. The legs of the Marsh Hawk 

 are remarkably long and slender, in which point the birds of the division of the genus 

 Falcon, to which it belongs, all agree. It is now well known, that the Ringtail is 

 the female bird of the F. Cyaneus, or Hen-harrier of British Ornithologists, which, 

 when mature, is an uniform bluish-grey colour ; if, therefore, the Marsh Hawk and 

 the Ringtail were the same, a male of corresponding plumage would have been 

 known to Wilson. On comparison of the specimen of the Marsh Hawk with that of 

 a Ringtail now before us, the differences are strikingly obvious. The ferruginous 

 colour of the under parts of the Marsh Hawk bring it nearer to some states of the 

 Ash-coloured Falcon of Montagu ; but in this case, the different colour of the male 

 affords also an obstacle to their identity. The Marsh Hawk is probably peculiar to 

 America ; and it is not impossible that the F. Hudsonius, or Hudson's Bay Ringtail, 

 which is also founded on a figure of Edwards, may hereafter prove to be the same 

 bird in a younger state. 



Strix Funerea. Hawk Owl. 



This bird is the only one of the genus received from the Expedition, but several 

 other species are usually found in the countries visited. The Hawk Owl is well 

 known, and has often been described : it inhabits all the Arctic countries, and very 

 rarely goes beyond them. Wilson, who figured it, had only seen two specimens. It 

 is one of the most beautiful of the genus, from the generality of which it differs in 

 flying, and taking its prey by day. The specimen received has much more black than 

 accords with the descriptions or the figures which have been published of it. Writers 

 do not agree as to the differences between the sexes, some represent the male, and 

 some the female as the darkest. 



Corvus Cor ax. Raven. 

 This is one of those birds which inhabit all parts of the globe ; it seems to be 

 rather abundant in the northern parts of America ; several were seen at Melville 

 Island. A single fine specimen is in the collection. 



Corvus Hudsonius. Hudson's Bay Magpie. 



A new and hitherto undescribed species. The writer of this notice was acquainted 

 with its existence previous to the departure of the Expedition, having been some 



