“Length more than 12 inches; in shape like our common buzzard. The bill is dusky; the whole head and neck as far as the shoulders whitish; the shaft of each feather blotched irregularly with rusty-brown; back and wing-coverts brown, several of the feathers, especially on the wing-coverts, are spotted with white; tail dark brown, crossed with several bars; but these are nearly obsolete, appearing on close inspection; the quills are very dark, almost black; the under parts from the breast are white; down the shaft of each feather is a blotch of brown; these marks spread out larger and broader as they proceed downwards to the belly; thighs pretty much the same; vent plain white; legs yellow; claws black. A fine specimen of this bird is in the Leverian Museum, which came from North America.” (Latham, as above.)
Generally cited as a synonyme for the Marsh Hawk, Circus hudsonius, with, as we think, but a small degree of propriety. It appears to us to be the young of either Buteo pennsylvanicus or Accipiter cooperii, or an unknown bird.
4. Falco albidus. Gm., Syst. Nat., I. p. 267. (1788.) The Buzzardet. Penn., Arct. Zool., I. p. 245.
“With dusky bill; head, cheeks, neck, breast and belly white, marked with large brown spots more sparingly dispersed over the breast and belly; lesser coverts brown; the others colored like the head; primaries dusky; thighs white, with small sagittal spots of brown; tail dusky, barred and tipped with white; legs yellow. Length, 15 inches. It has much the habit of the Buzzard, but the legs in proportion are rather longer. In the Leverian Museum. Except in the almost uniform color of the tail, Mr. Latham’s species, p. 97, No. 83, agrees with this (which is the preceding F. variegatus). North America.” (Pennant, as above.)
Probably the same as the preceding.
5. Falco obsoletus. Gm., Syst. Nat., I. p. 268. (1788.) The plain Falcon. Penn., Arct. Zool., I. p. 242.
“Bill black; head dusky; nape spotted with white; back and coverts of the wings and tail of an uniform deep brown; under-side of the neck, breast, belly and thighs deep brown, slightly spotted with white; primaries dusky; inner webs marked with great oval spots of white, mottled with brown; middle feathers of the tail plain brown; inner webs of the rest mottled with white; exterior webs and ends slightly edged with the same; legs strong; wing reaches near the length of the tail. Length, from bill to tail, 2 feet 1 inch. Inhabits Hudson’s Bay.” (Pennant, as above.)
We are acquainted with no bird to which this description and measurement apply.
6. Falco spadiceus. Gm., Syst. Nat., I. p. 273. (1788.) The Chocolate-colored Falcon. Penn., Arctic Zool., I. p. 234, pl. 9.
“With a short and black bill, and yellow cere. The whole plumage of a deep bay or chocolate color, in parts tinged with ferruginous; primaries black; the lower exterior sides of a pure white, forming a conspicuous spot or speculum; the wings reach to the end of the tail; the exterior sides of the five outermost feathers of the tail dusky; their inner sides blotched with black and white; the two middle black and cinereous; the legs and toes feathered, the last remarkably short. Length, 1 foot 10 inches. Inhabits Hudson’s Bay and Newfoundland. Preys much on ducks. Sits on a rock and watches their rising, when it instantly strikes at them.” (Pennant, as above.)