40 BLUE HAWK, OR HEN-HARRIER. 
the adult female, (which is not the case in the Ash-coloured 
Harrier) being however more varied with rusty, and easily distin¬ 
guished by its smaller size. It is in this state that Wilson has 
taken the species, his very accurate description being that of a 
young female. The male retains this plumage until he is two 
years old, after which he gradually assumes the gray plumage 
peculiar to the adult: of course they exhibit almost as many 
gradations as specimens, according to their more or less advanced 
age. The ash and white appear varied or mingled with rusty; 
the wings, and especially the tail, exhibiting more or less indica¬ 
tions of the bands of the young plumage. The male, when he 
may be called already adult, varies by still exhibiting the remains 
of bands on the tail, more or less marked or obliterated by the 
yellowish edges of the feathers of the back and wings, and 
especially by retaining on the hind head a space tinged with 
rusty, with blackish spots. This space is more or less indicated, 
in the greater part, both of the American and European specimens 
I have examined. Finally, they are known by retaining traces of 
the yellowish of the inferior surface in larger or smaller spots, 
chiefly on the belly, flanks, and under tail-coverts. 
For the greater embellishment of the plate, we have chosen to 
represent one of these very nearly, but not quite adult males, in 
preference to a perfectly mature bird, which may easily be figured 
to the mind by destroying every trace of spot or bar. It is 
moreover, in this dress that the adult is met with in the Middle 
and Northern states, where it is very rare, and we have never seen 
a specimen quite mature, though the young are tolerably common; 
as if the parents sent their children on a tour to finish their 
education, then to return and marry, and remain contentedly at 
home. The specimen here figured, was shot on Long Island, and 
was preserved in Scudder’s Museum, New-York. 
Its total length is eighteen inches, breadth forty-one; the bill 
