Small, wings moderate, tail rounded. Adult Male. Frontal band, space including the eyes and throat, white; spot on the neck behind, two others on each side of the neck, and line running downwards from before the eye, black. Head above, and wing coverts, bluish cinereous, the latter usually spotted with black. Spot on the top of the head, the neck behind, back, rump, and generally the tail above, light rufous or cinnamon red. Under parts generally a pale shade of the same color, frequently nearly white, but sometimes nearly as dark as the back, and always with more or less numerous circular, or oblong spots of black. Quills brownish black, with white bars on their inner webs. Tail tipped with white, sometimes tinged with rufous, and with a broad subterminal band of black, frequently with several of the outer feathers, white tinged with ashy, and barred with black. Bill blue, legs and feet yellow. Back generally with more or less numerous transverse stripes of black. Rufous spot on head, much varying in size, and sometimes wanting.
Female. Upper parts as above, and wing coverts, and tail rust red, with numerous transverse bands of brownish black, under parts with numerous longitudinal stripes, and on the sides and flanks, with transverse bands of the same color, external feathers of the tail palest, broad subterminal band on the tail, obscure or wanting. Young Male. Wing-coverts, dark bluish cinereous with large circular spots, and with bands of brownish black, all the rufous parts with broad bands of the same color, under parts with large circular spots, and wide traverse bands of black on the sides and flanks.
Dimensions. Total length, 11 to 12 inches, wing 7 to 7½, tail 5 to 5½ inches. Sexes nearly alike in size.
Hab. The entire continent of America. California, (Mr. Bell.) Mexico, (Mr. Pease.) Cuba, (M. de Sagra.) Bermuda, (Sir W. Jardine.) Chili, (Lieut. Gilliss.) Patagonia, (Ex. Exp. Vincennes.) Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.
Obs. This elegant little Hawk, is one of the most handsomely colored of the Rapacious Birds of North America, and is frequently met with.
It is widely diffused, being common to all parts of the United States, and we have seen numerous specimens brought in collections from various parts of South America. The young bird has never been figured. Specimens from all parts of America are very similar, and we have seen the stages of plumage, which have been considered as indicating distinct species by eminent authors, but they do not appear to be constant, nor peculiar to any locality.
II. SUB-FAMILY ACCIPITRINÆ. THE HAWKS.
Bill short, hooked, upper mandible lobed, but not toothed. Wings rather short, tail long, and rather wide, tarsi rather long and slender, toes and claws long, the latter curved and sharp. Embraces forty to fifty species, amongst which are birds of all countries. They are very vigilant and active and swift of flight, and have as a peculiar character amongst the Falconidæ, the habit of pursuing their prey into woods and forests.
I. GENUS ASTUR. Lacepede Mem. Inst. III. p. 506.
SPARVIUS. Vieill, Anal. p. 24, (1816.) Leucospiea. Kaup, Class, p. 118, (1844.)
General form, strong, but somewhat slender; bill short, curved, festooned; nostrils large, somewhat ovate, inserted in the cere. Wings moderate; tail, long and broad. Tarsi rather lengthened; covered in front with rather wide transverse scales; toes and claws, rather long, the latter sharp. This genus contains about twelve species of all countries.
1. Astur atricapillus. (Wilson.) The Goshawk. The Black-capped Hawk. Falco atricapillus. Wilson Am. Orn. VI. p. 80. (1812.) Falco regalis. Temm. P. col. I. (liv. 84 about 1827.) Dædalion pictum. Less. Traité d’Orn. I. p. 67. (1831.)
Wilson Am. Orn. VI. pl. 52, fig. 3. Faun. Bor. Am. Birds, pl. 26. Jard. and Selby, Ill. Orn. pl. 121. Aud. B. of Am. pl. 141, Oct. ed. I. pl. 23. Temm. Pl. col. 495.
Large, general form, rather slender; wings, short. Adult. Head above, neck behind and stripe from behind the eye, black, generally more or less mixed with ashy; other upper parts bluish cinereous, with the shafts of the feathers black; a conspicuous stripe over the eye, and an obscure collar on the back of the neck white. Entire under parts white, every feather with a longitudinal line of brownish black, and several transverse narrow and usually irregular bands of ashy brown. Quills, brown, with bands of a deeper shade of the same color, and with mottled white bands on their inner webs. Tail, dark brownish cinereous, with irregular bands of brownish black, and narrowly tipped with white; under surface very pale, nearly white; under tail-coverts pure white. Young. Head above and other upper parts, dark brown mixed with rufous, especially on the head and neck. Under parts, white, tinged with fulvous, with large oblong and circular spots of deep brown.
Dimensions. Total length, female, 22 to 24 inches, wing about 14, tail 10½ to 11 inches; male, 19 to 20 inches, wing 13, tail 9½ to 10 inches.
Hab. Northern and eastern North America. Spec. Mus. Acad. Philada.