10. Falco Bachmanii. Aud., Orn. Biog., V. p. 334. (1839, the date on the title-page of this volume is erroneously printed 1849.)
“I have several times seen in South Carolina a Hawk flying, equal in size to Falco lineatus, and remarkable for the great breadth of its wings. It was of a uniform brown color, excepting the tail, which was barred with white. The same bird has also been repeatedly observed by my friend, Dr. Bachman, who feels assured of its being distinct from any other Hawk hitherto found in North America.” (Audubon, as above.)
This is the entire and only description published and the species alluded to has never been identified, to our knowledge.
11. Milvus leucomelas. Rafinesque, Annals of Nature, part I. p. 4. (1820.)
“White, unspotted; top of head and part of the back, wings, tail, and bill, black; feet yellow. It is found in West Kentucky and Illinois; it feeds on fishes, and is therefore called Fishing Hawk. Size small, tail quite forked.” (Raf., as above.)
This is a puzzler. If any such bird exists, it has escaped late researches, though we very much suspect that Rafinesque ventured a description on reports, rather oddly confounding the Forked-tailed Hawk (Nauclerus) and the Osprey, or Fish Hawk (Pandion).
12. Aquila dicronyx. Rafinesque, Atlantic Journal, p. 63. (1832.)
The specimen described under this name was the same that is alluded to by Mr. Audubon in his article on the White-headed Eagle, in Orn. Biog., II. p. 163, as being kept in captivity in the suburbs of Philadelphia, and this description and its author he also alludes to. We mention this bird for the purpose of facilitating the student who may not have access to the works of Rafinesque, and for the purpose of pointing out a curious error into which Mr. Audubon and Dr. Harlan, as quoted by him, seem to have fallen, in regarding it as the White-headed or Bald Eagle (Haliaetus leucocephalus). It is expressly stated by Rafinesque to have been brought from “near Buenos Ayres,” and was evidently, from his description, the Circaetus coronatus of South America. This name is therefore by no means to be cited as a synonyme for Haliaetus leucocephalus.
13. Falco doliatus. Shaw, Gen. Zool., Aves., VII. p. 77. (1809.)
“Length ten inches; bill violet; cere, irides, and legs, yellow; tail marked with whitish bars more apparent beneath than above; under tail-coverts and flanks brown, with two or three round white spots on each side of the shaft; thighs ferruginous, with black shafts. Inhabits Carolina, observed by Bosc.” (Shaw, as above.)