528 SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — RAPTOBES — A CCIPITPES. 
slightly ashy across the breast), tlie white then only showing in narrow cross-bars; chin, 
throat and crissum white, with blackish pencilling, the crissum, however, usually immaculate ; 
wings and tail baiTed with ashy and brown or blackish, the quills white-barred basally, the tail 
whitish-tipped ; bill dark ; claws black ; iris, cere and feet yellow. Sexes alike in color ; 9 
much larger than ^ . 
Analysis of Species. 
Feet extreme!}' slender ; bare portion of tarsus longer than middle toe ; scutella frequently fused ; tail 
square, cf 10.00-12.00; extent about 21.00; wing.6.00-7.00 ; tail 5.00-6.00. $ 12.00-14.00; extent about 
25.50; wing 7.00-8.00 ; tail 6.00-7.00; whole foot 3.50 or less fuscus 494 
Feet moderately stout ; bare portion of tarsus shorter than mi<idle toe ; scutella always distinct ; tail 
rounded. J" 16-00-18.00; extent about 30.00 ; wing 9.00-10.00; tail 7.00-8.00. $ 18.00-20.00; extent about 
35.00; wing 10. OO-ll.OO; tail 8.00-9.00; whole foot 4.00 or more cooperi 495 
494, A. fuscus. (Lat. fuscus, dark. Fig. 369.) Sharp-shinned Hawk. " Pigeon " Hawk, so- 
called, but not to be confounded with Falco columbarius, No. 505. Adult ^ 9 : Above, 
dark plumbeous, slate-color, or bluish-gray, somewhat more fuscous on the wings and tail 
than on the body, the feathers of the hind-head with fleecy white bases, the scapulars with 
concealed white spots. Tail crossed by about 4 blackish bars, the first under the coverts, the 
last subterminal and broadest ; 
extreme tips of the feathers 
white. Primaries also marked 
with blackish bars or spots, 
and whitening at their bases, 
in bars or indents of the inner 
webs. Under parts barred 
crosswise with rufous on a 
white ground, the bars on 
some parts cordate and con- 
nected along the shafts of the 
feathers, which are blackish ; 
ear - coverts rufous ; rufous 
mostly or entirely wanting 
on the cheeks, throat, and 
crissum, which are more or less finely ])encilled with the black shafts of the feathers; crissum, 
however, often pure white. Axillars barred like other under parts; lining of wings white, with 
dusky spots. Dimensions as above. Young : Above, umber-brown, varied with rusty-bro\NTi 
edgings of most of the feathers ; white spots of scapulars exposed. Below, white more or less 
tawTiy-tinged, striped lengthwise with dark brown or reddish-brown on most parts, the feathers 
mostly black- shafted. This state is oftener seen than the perfected plumage; every inter- 
mediate stage is seen ; but there can be no misunderstanding the species, as our only other 
hawks {Falco columbarius and F. sparverius) of similar slight dimensions belong to a different 
genus and subfamily. N. Am. at large, one of our most abundant hawks, and one which, 
notwithstanding its smallness, sustains the reputation of Accipitrin(E for nerve and prowess. 
The nest is usually built in the branches of a tree, sometimes in a hollow or on a ledge of 
rocks, being a platform of small sticks upon which rests a bed of hay, moss, leaves, or bark ; 
the eggs are generally laid in May, to the number of 4 or 5. The white ground-color has 
often a livid or even purplish tint, and is marked, often so thickly as to be obscured, \xii\i 
large, irregular splashes of various shades of brown, interminably changeable in number, size, 
and pattern, sometimes inclining to form masses or a wreath, sometimes more evenly dis- 
tributed. The egg is of nearly equal size at both ends, and measures about 1.45 X 1-15. It 
is not distinguishable with certainty fi'om that of Falco columharius. 
495. A. coo'peri. (To Wm. Cooper. Fig. 370.) Cooper's Haavk. Chicken Hawk (a name shared 
Fig. 370. — Beak and talons of Accipiter (A. cooperi, nat. size). (Ad nat 
del. E. C.) 
