NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB, 
3 
actual comparison with like skins, that it was identical with the 
Buteo vulgaris of Europe. Supposing that Mr. Allen had quite 
probably received it from abroad the matter rested here ; but as 
there was still some uncertainty as to whether it was that spe- 
cies, on account of my not having compared it with typical 
specimens, the question would arise in my mind every time 
I saw the skin. 
Various ornithological friends examined the specimen and 
expressed^ some opinion about it, yet all were inclined to be- 
lieve that it was a European bird, while I never gave the time 
necessary for settling the matter by writing Mr. Allen. Thus 
the skin had been lying in my collection until the past autumn, 
when at the request of Mr. Brewster I showed it to our mutual 
friend, Mr. Henry Henshaw, who urged me to let him take it to 
Washington, that it might be examined by Mr. Bob’t Ridgway. 
Shortly after this Mr. Henshaw informed me, per letter, that 
it was indeed Bateo vulgaris^ but that there was a decided im- 
probability that it was taken on this side of the Atlantic. Ca- 
rious to know its history I wrote to Mr. Allen, asking him if 
he' remembered the specimen, and if he could tell me where 
it was taken. 
The reply was quite unexpected, for Mr, Allen stated that he 
remembered the bird well, and as there were peculiar circum- 
stances connected with its capture he recollected clearly that it 
was shot in Michigan. I then wrote again, giving him for the first 
time an account bf the interest which was attached to the capture 
of this species in the United States, and begged him to relate 
all he knew about it. To this epistle I received the following 
reply. As Mr. Allen’s account is not only interesting but im- 
portant as proving beyond the shadow of a doubt that the bird 
in question was actually taken in Michigan, I give his letter 
verbatim. I will, however, preface it by saying that all the oth- 
er Hawks sent to me by Mr. Allen were correctly labeled “ Red- 
tailed,” “ Red-shouldered,” etc., but this bore the simple legend 
“ Hawk.’’ This fact, together with its extremely peculiar plu- 
mage, rendered it easy for him to remember what particular 
skin was under consideration. 
“Paw Paw, Mich., Jan. 16, 1876. 
Me. Maynard — 
Dear Sir : — Yours at hand and noted. I am surprised as well as 
pleased to learn that the Hawk proves to be so valuable and interest- 
ing a specimen. When I shot it I was unable to decide what it was, 
