BUTEO ZONOCERCUS. 
BAND-TAIL HAWK. 
BUTEO ZONOCERCUS. Sclat. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1858,) p. 263. 
BUTEO HARLANI. Cass. B. of N. A., p. 21, —Id. Lawk. Ann. N. Y. Lyc., YoL Y., p. 220. 
Tjits handsome species was described by Dr. Sclater, in the proceedings of the Zoological Society of London as above referred to, from a 
specinen received by him from Mexico. Dr. T. 0. Henry also procured a specimen in New Mexico, which is now in the collection of the 
Academy at Philadelphia, and Dr. Cooes obtained an example during his residence at Port Whipple in Arizona; while Dr. CoorER secured another 
individual in Santa Clara County, California. Thus it would appear that, although it may properly be considered a Mexican species, yet it pene- 
trates within our boundaries at various points. 
Although so conspicuous and well marked as is this bird, yet we know nothing of its economy or habits, the opportunities afforded to observe 
it in life not having been sufficiently frequent to enable those Ornithologists who met with it, to ascertain its breeding-places or mode of pro- 
curing food. 
Prom au examination of Mr. Lawrence’s specimens mentioned by him in the Annals of the Lyceum, quoted above, it would appear to be an 
immature bird of this species, and not Harlani, as there named ; and the specimens in the Philadelphia Academy described by Mr. Cassin in the 
Birds of North America, may with propriety also be referred to this species. 
The spirited drawing which adorns my work is from the pencil of Mr. Wolf, to whom the type specimen contained in the Museum 
of Norwich, England, was, at the request of Dr. Sclater, sent for the purpose of being drawn for this work ; and I take this opportunity of ex- 
pressing my thanks to the gentlemen in whose care the maguificent collection of the Museum is placed, for their courtesy in thus enabling me to 
give a representation of this bird. 
With regard to the admirable manner in which Mr. Wolf, so justly esteemed as unrivalled for his power of delineating animal life, has per- 
formed his part, I need say nothing — the figure will speak for itself. Dr. Sclater's description of the species is as follows : “In plumage this bird 
is very much like the typical Urubitiugas, being of a nearly uniform ashy black, tinged with brown on the scapularies aud secondaries, and with 
a broad white band across the tail. Above this are two other bands much narrower, and not quite complete, and tbe tail is likewise tipped with 
white. The color of these bands is pure white on the undersurface, on the upper surface it is cinereous on the outer webs of the lateral rectrices, 
and on both webs of the medial pair, but pure white on tbe inner webs of the lateral tail-feathers. The lowest band is about li inches in 
breadth, the second not half an inch, and the highest is quite narrow. There are distinct traces of white cross bauds on the inner webs of the 
wing-feathers. The wings are, however, much more elongated than in the Urubitiugas, the third primary (which is longest) extending four in- 
hes beyond the secondaries. The fourth and fifth primaries are only slightly shorter than the third, the first being nearly of the same length 
as the longest secondary.” 
The figure is of the size of life. 
