Regarded by authors as a synonyme for the Black Hawk (Archibuteo sancti-johannis), but the description suits better the Ferruginous Buzzard (A. ferrugineus). Neither of these has, however, the toes feathered, nor otherwise entirely agrees with the description. It may be an unknown species.
7. Falco obscurus. Gm., Syst. Nat., I. p. 281. (1788.) The Dusky Falcon. Penn., Arct. Zool., I. p. 248.
“With a bluish bill; upper mandible armed with a sharp process; yellow cere; head, neck and coverts of the wings and tail dusky brown, slightly edged with ferruginous; hind part of the neck spotted with white; primaries dusky; inner webs marked with oval spots of a pale rust color; tail short, tipped with white, and barred with four broad dusky strokes, and the same number of narrow ones of white; the hind part of the head spotted with white; from the chin to the tail whitish, streaked downwards with distinct lines of black; legs deep yellow. Inferior in size to the last (F. dubius or fusca). Inhabits the province of New York.” (Pennant, as above.)
Cited by authors as a synonyme for the sharp-skinned Hawk (Accipiter fuscus), which seems to be erroneous, though correct enough if reference only be made to Gmelin’s compilation of Pennant’s description. The latter, as quoted above, and which is the original, appears to apply to Falco columbarius (Linn.), but not with sufficient accuracy to be without doubt, and we know of no bird at present inhabiting “the province of New York” that it entirely suits.
8. Aquila maculosa. Vieill., Ois d’Am. Sept., I. p. 28, pl. 3 bis. (1807.)
Upper part of the head, nape, neck, and mantle, black; eyebrow white, bordered by a black line from the eye; space between the bill and eye and cere blue, the former with scattered hairs; iris yellow; throat and breast white, every feather with a longitudinal central stripe of black; abdomen black, many feathers having circular spots of white; tibia and under tail-coverts ferruginous, with central spots of brownish; rump and upper tail-coverts white, with transverse stripes of black; quills and tail leaden gray above, light bluish-gray beneath; feet orange; claws blackish. Total length, about 25 inches; wing, 16; tail, 10 inches.
An excellent figure of this bird is given by Vieillot, as above, but which represents no species with which we are acquainted. In general appearance it resembles Phalcobænus carunculatus, Des Murs (Rev. et Mag. de Zool., April, 1853, p. 154), a South American species, of which specimens are in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy. Though given by Vieillot as a bird of North America (as above, and in Nouv. Dict., XXXII. p. 56), we suspect that he was mistaken.
9. Sparvius ardosiaceus. Vieill., Ency. Meth., III. p. 1274. (1823).
Body above, bluish slate color; beneath, ferruginous, with transverse white bands; chin white; bill bluish-black; feet orange; cere and edges of the mouth dull green; quills and tail brownish-black; eyebrows dull white; tail slightly forked. North America.
Possibly Accipiter fuscus, but we regard it as quite remarkable that Vieillot, at so late a date, should have again described that species, being undoubtedly well acquainted with North American birds. We recollect no bird which exactly suits this description.