78 



AMERICAN BUZZARD, OR WHITE-BREASTED HAWK. 



FALCO LEVERIANUS? 

 [Plate LIL— Fig. 2.] 



/ 



Peale's Museum, JVo. 400. 



IT is with some doubt and hesitation that I introduce the 

 present as a distinct species from the preceding. In their size and 

 general aspect they resemble each other considerably; yet I have 

 found both males and females among each; and in the present spe- 

 cies I have sometimes fovmd the ground color of the tail strongly 

 tinged with ferruginous, and the bars of dusky but slight; while 

 in the preceding the tail is sometimes wholly red brown, the single 

 bar of black near the tip excepted ; in other specimens evident re- 

 mains of numerous other bars are visible. In the meantime both 

 are figured, and future observations may throw more light on the 

 matter. 



This bird is more numerous than the last; but frequents the 

 same situations in winter. One, which was shot in the wing, lived 

 with me several weeks ; but refused to eat. It amused itself by 

 frequently hopping from one end of the room to the other; and 

 sitting for hours at the window, looking down on the passengers 

 below. At first, when approached by any person, he generally 

 put himself in the position in which he is represented; but after 

 some time he became quite familiar, permitting himself to be 

 handled, and shutting his eyes as if quite passive. Tho he lived 

 so long without food, he was found on dissection to be exceedingly 

 fat, his stomach being enveloped in a mass of solid fat of nearly 

 an inch in thickness. 



