/S\?^c^i^ i^c^^\ /ZAis^^ ^\ Zoo/ A MANUAL OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. BY ROBERT RIDGWAT. ILLUSTRATED BY 464 OUTLINE DRAWINGS OF THE GENERIC CHARACTERS. PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. 1887. i Copyright, 1887, by J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. PKEFAOE. THE object of the present volume is to furnish a convenient manual of North American Ornithology, reduced to the smallest com- pass, by the omission of everything that is not absolutely necessary for determining the character of any given specimen, and including, besides the correct nomenclature of each species, a statement of its natural habitat, and other concomitant data. Originally projected by Professor Spencer F. Baird, and based essentially upon the grand National cabinet of American birds which his energy, ability, and enthusiasm have developed from an unpre- tentious nucleus into a collection unrivalled in extent and wholly unique in scientific value, this work may be considered as, in a measure, the consummation of a plan conceived by that illustrious naturalist, whose works represent the highest type of systematic orni- thology, and have furnished the model from which the younger gen- eration of ornithologists have drawn their inspiration. Professor Baird's great responsibilities and engrossing duties as Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and Director of the United States National Museum precluded the possibility of his completing the work which he had so long cherished, and had even begun, when called to the high positions which he has filled with so much advantage to science and honor to himself. Honored with the privilege of continuing the work commenced by abler hands, the author has endeavored to fulfil his trust with careful attention to the hope of its originator that the Manual of IV PREFACE. North American Birds may serve as a handy book for the sportsman and traveller, as well as for the resident naturalist, and that all may find it a convenient and satisfactory means of identifying any North American bird in all its variations of plumage. ROBEBT RIDGWAY. DEPARTMENT OF BIRDS, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM, April 11, 1887. Spencer f. JUST as this book is about to be issued, information has been re- ceived of the death of Professor Baird, at Wood's Holl, Massachusetts. It is unnecessary here to make more than passing reference to Professor Baird's eminence as an ornithologist, — an eminence attained through the inherent excellence of his published works rather than their extent. His influence in the development of American ornithol- ogy has been greater than that of any other person, and no one else has commanded so fully the respect, admiration, and confidence due to his high attainments, the sterling qualities of his mind and heart, and the integrity of his character. Indeed, it may with truth be said that every naturalist of eminence in the United States owes much of his success to a personal acquaintance with Professor Baird, whose sound advice, ready sympathy, and uniform kindness are reverently and affectionately remembered by all who are so fortunate as to have enjoyed the privilege of his acquaintance. Special reference has been made in the Preface and Introduction to Professor Baird's intimate connection with the " Manual of North American Birds," a work planned by him many years ago, but which he was prevented, by engrossing public duties, from personally exe- cuting. In spite of physical suffering and harassing cares, he retained, almost to the last moment, a lively interest in the work, which was completed but a short time previous to his death. K. R. WASHINGTON, August 20, 1887. CONTENTS. PAGE INTRODUCTION vii KEY TO THE HIGHER GROUPS 1 Order PYGOPODES — The Diving Birds 4 Family Podicipidse — The Grebes 4 " Urinatoridas — The Loons 6 " Alcidse — The Auks, Murres, etc 8 Order LONGIPENNES — The Long-winged Swimmers 20 Family Stercorariidae — The Skuas and Jaegers 20 " Laridse — The Gulls and Terns 23 " Rynchopidffl — The Skimmers 48 Order TUBINARES — The Tube-nosed Swimmers 50 Family Diomedeidse — The Albatrosses 50 " Procellariidse — The Fulmars and Shearwaters 53 Order STEGANOPODES — The Totipalmate Swimmers 73 Family Phaethontidae — The Tropic Birds 73 " Sulidce— The Gannets 74 " Anhingidas — The Darters 76 " Phalacrocoracidae — The Cormorants 77 " Pelecanidaa — The Pelicans 81 " Fregatidae— The Man-o'- War Birds 82 Order ANSERES — The Lamellirostral Swimmers . . . 84 Family Anatidaa — The Ducks, Geese, and Swans 84 Order ODONTOGLOSSXE — The Lamellirostral Waders 121 Family Phoenicopteridse — The Flamingoes 121 Order HEKODIONES — The Herons, Storks, Ibises, etc 122 Family Plataleida3 — The Spoonbills 122 " Ibididae— The Ibises 123 " Ciconiidac — The Storks and Wood Ibises 124 " Ardeidae — The Herons and Bitterns 126 Order PALTTDICOL^E — The Cranes, Rails, etc 134 Family Gruidse — The Cranes 134 " Aramidse — The Courlans 135 " Rallida?— The Rails, Gallinules, Coots, etc 136 Order LIMICOL^: — The Shore Birds 143 Family Pbalaropodidae — The Phalaropes 143 " Recurvirostridae — The Avocets and Stilts 146 " Scolopacida3 — The Snipes, Sandpipers, etc 147 " Charadriidse— The Plovers 172 " Aphrizidaa — The Surf Birds and Turnstones 179 " Haematopodidas — The Oyster-catchers 181 " Jacanidas — The Jacanas 183 v vl CONTENTS. PAQE Order GALLING — The Gallinaceous Birds 184 Family Tetraonidae — The Grouse, Partridges, etc 184 " Phasianidffi — The Pheasants, Turkeys, etc 205 " Craeidse — The Curassows and Guans 207 Order COLUMB.S — The Pigeons 210 Family Columbidae — The Pigeons 210 Order KAPTOKES— The Birds of Prey 218 Family Cathartidas — The American Vultures 218 " Falconidae— The Falcons, Hawks, etc 222 " Strigidae— The Barn Owls 255 " Bubonidse— The Horned Owls, etc 255 Order PSITTACI — The Parrots, Macaws, Paroquets, etc 268 Family Psittacidae— The Parrots, etc 268 Order COCCYGES — The Cuckoos, etc 271 Family Cuculidse — The Cuckoos 271 " Trogonidae — The Trogons 275 " Momotidae— The Motmots 277 " Alcedinidse— The Kingfishers 278 Order PICI — The Woodpeckers, Wrynecks, etc 280 Family Picidae— The Woodpeckers 280 Order MACROCHIRES — The Goatsuckers, Swifts, etc 297 Family Caprimulgidae — The Goatsuckers 297 " Micropodidae— The Swifts 302 " Trochilidse— The Hummingbirds 303 Order PASSERES — The Perching Birds 321 Family Cotingidae — The Cotingas 323 " Tyrannidae— The Tyrant Flycatchers 326 " Alaudidse— The Larks 346 " Corvidae — The Crows, Jays, Magpies, etc 350 " Sturnidte— The Starlings '. . . 364 " Icteridse — The Blackbirds, Orioles, etc 365 " Fringillidae — The Finches, Sparrows, etc 382 " Tanagridae — The Tanagers 453 " Hirundinidas— The Swallows 457 " Ampelidao — The Waxwings, etc 463 " Laniidae— The Shrikes 465 " Vireonidae — The Vireos 468 " Ccerebidae — The Honey Creepers 479 " Mniotiltidae— The Wood Warblers 480 " Motacillidae— The Wagtails 532 " Cinclida&— The Dippers 538 " Troglodytidse — The Wrens, Thrashers, etc 538 " Certhiidffi— The Creepers 557 " Paridae — The Nuthatches and Tits 558 " Sylviidse— The Warblers, Kinglets, and Gnatcatchers 566 " Turdidse — The Thrushes, Solitaires, Stonechats, Bluebirds, etc 571 APPENDIX 5J53 INDEX 595 INTEODUOTION. IN CLASSIFICATION, NOMENCLATURE, and NUMERATION the present work corre- sponds strictly with the " Check List of North American Birds" published by the American Ornithologists' Union,1 which represents the joint labors of a " Commit- tee on Classification and Nomenclature" appointed by the Union during its first Congress, held in New York City, September 26-29, 1883. During the year which has elapsed since the publication of the A. O. U. Check List several species have been added to the North American fauna, while others have been for the first time described. These are of course included in the present work, being interpolated in their proper places.2 At the same time, it has been considered desirable, in the interest of the student of North American Ornithol- ogy, to include, for reasons stated farther on,3 certain extralimital species from contiguous countries. All such additional species have, however, been carefully distinguished typographically, in order that no confusion may arise, the method of discrimination being as follows : (1) All species which are undoubtedly North American, even though of doubt- ful validity, are in larger type, those given in the A. O. U. Check List proper being numbered as in that list, while eighteen of the twentj-six species composing the so-called "Hypothetical List,"* and also those subsequently added to the fauna, are preceded by a dash ( — ) instead of a number. (2) All species which have not been established as North American (the majority never having been claimed as such) are printed in smaller type, and have neither a number nor a dash. The GEOGRAPHICAL LIMITS are also, so far as numbered species are concerned, those of the A. O. U. Check List ; but practically these limits have been enlarged so 1 The Code of Nomenclature | and | Check List | of North American Birds | Adopted by the American Ornithologists' Union | Being the Report of the Committee of the Union on Classification and Nomenclature | (Motto) | | New York | American Ornithologists' Union | 1886 | [8vo., pp. i-viii, 1-392.] 2 For lists of these additional species, see Appendix, pages 591-594. 8 See under " Geographical Limits." * " Consisting of species which have been recorded as North American, but whose status as North Ameri- can birds is doubtful, either from lack of positive evidence of their occurrence within the prescribed limits . . . or from absence of satisfactory proof of their validity as species." Of the twenty-six species constituting this list, eighteen are unquestionably North American (one of them having been recently established as such), while the remaining eight have very scant claims to a place in our fauna. vii viii INTRODUCTION. as to include all the species known to inhabit Socorro Island, off the coast of north- western Mexico, which is decidedly Nearctic, or North American, in its zoological affinities, while in many cases other extralimital species have been included, for the sake of comparison and also on account of the greater or less probability of their occurrence within the southern boundary of the United States. In most cases this ignoring of geographical limits has been confined to the inclusion of only the Mexi- can,1 Cuban, and Bahaman species of characteristically North American genera, or of genera from the same regions belonging to North American Families, the Euro- pean analogues of certain North American species, and species of northeastern Asia which have been ascribed to Alaska, or which may from the close proximity of their habitat be expected to occur there. A notable departure from this general rule has, however, been made in the Order Tubinares, consisting wholly of species inhabiting the " high seas," whose more or less erratic or fortuitous wanderings render them specially liable to a place in the list of " accidental visitors" to any sea-girt country, for which reason it has been considered desirable, as an aid to future research, to include all known species belonging to genera of which repre- sentatives have been taken in North American waters. MATERIAL. — Although the unrivalled collection of American birds and their eggs forming part of the National Museum2 has furnished by far the greater por- tion of the material upon which this work is based, several other public museums, as well as rich private collections, have been carefully studied. Thus, the American Museum of Natural History, in New York City ; the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia ; the Boston Society of Natural History ; the Museum of Compara- tive Zoology, in Cambridge, Mass. ; and the splendid private collections of Messrs. George N. Lawrence, of New York City, William Brewster, of Cambridge, Mass., and H. W. Henshaw,8 of Washington, D.C., have furnished indispensable material in the way of extralimital species or more extensive series of certain North Amer- ican species, for comparison, than had yet been secured by the .National Museum. It is not, however, the large number of specimens alone that has furnished the sub- stantial basis of the following synoptical tables ; for, however much the proper dis- 1 Under the head of " Mexican" are included not only Mexico itself, but also Guatemala and Honduras. (See page vii, regarding typographical distinction between extralimital and North American species.) 8 The total number of specimens of American birds in the National Museum collection at the end of June, 1886, was about 36,000, exclusive of duplicates and mounted specimens ; the North American " study series" of Passeren and " Picarise" (i.e., Macrochires, Pici, and Coccyges) alone aggregating nearly 13,000, counting only those obtained from North America proper, as defined in the A. 0. U. Check List. At the same time, the collec- tion of North American birds' eggs numbered 38,400 specimens, constituting by far the most extensive and valu- able one in existence. Even before the addition of the magnificent private collection so generously donated by Captain Charles E. Bendire, U.S.A., no other was comparable to it, either in the number of species represented or in their careful identification, it having from the commencement been made a rule to destroy all specimens regarding which there appeared the least doubt or suspicion. Captain Bendire's celebrated collection, while representing fewer species, included far more extensive series of a large number of species, showing extreme variations of size, contour, and coloration, all perfectly identified, while it was wholly unique in the exquisite preparation of the specimens. 8 Special mention should be made of Mr. Henshaw's valuable collection (embracing more than TOGO speci- mens and unusually complete series of many species), which through the owner's courtesy has been constantly accessible to the author. INTRODUCTION. IX crimination of species and subspecies may be a question of material, a great deal depends upon our knowledge of the birds in life, their natural surroundings, and other things which can be learned only out of doors. Fortunately, a very large number of accomplished field-naturalists have carefully observed the habits of our birds, and through their published records have together contributed a vast store of information which no single person could himself have gained. To the much that has been gleaned from this source have been added the author's field-notes, col- lected during the period extending from a recent date back to the year 1863, and embracing many measurements of fresh specimens, notes on location of nests, fresh colors of bill, eyes, feet, etc., and various other useful memoranda. MEASUREMENTS are in English inches and hundredths, except when otherwise stated.1 Whenever practicable, they have been taken from large series of speci- mens, and the extremes given, as well as the average, which follows in parenthesis. Thus, 5.75-6.50 (6.12) would indicate the minimum, maximum, and average, re- spectively, of the measurements taken. In the case of closely-allied forms, or where distinctive characters are largely a matter of dimensions or the proportionate meas- urements of different parts, care has been taken to measure, whenever possible, an equal number of specimens of the several forms to be compared ; and specimens in abraded or otherwise imperfect plumage, as well as young birds, have been excluded. When there is any marked sexual difference in size, the number of males and females measured of allied forms has also been made as nearly equal as possible. Length is to be understood as meaning the total length (from end of bill to tip of tail) of the fresh specimen, before skinning, unless otherwise stated. This measurement is the least important of any for the purpose of determination of the species, being of any value at all only when taken from the fresh specimen, before skinning, and even then subject to much variation, according to the amount of stretching to which the bird is subjected. In a very large number of species the author's measurements from freshly-killed specimens are given, but in perhaps a majority of cases it has been necessary to take measurements made by others. Owing to the fact that all our leading authorities have been consulted on this point and only the extremes given, it has been found impracticable (even if desirable) to distinguish the latter from the former, but it may be remarked that nearly all of those in which the range of variation between the extremes is very great belong to the latter category. Length of wing is from the "bend," or carpal joint, to tip of longest primary, the rule being laid along the outer or convex side and the wing brought up close to it for its entire length. Length of tail is from tip of longest feathers to their apparent base, a point often very difficult to determine, and subject to more or less variation according to the method of preparing the skin, the amount of shrinkage to which the flesh at the base of the tail has been subjected, etc. Length of culmen is the chord of the curve, measured with dividers, from the tip of the upper mandible to the extreme base of the culmen (this often more or less concealed by feathers of the forehead) — unless the qualifying word " exposed" is prefixed, in which case the measurement is similarly made to where the frontal feathers close 1 See foot-note on page x., as to conversion of inches and decimals into millimetres. X INTRODUCTION. over the base of the culmen. Depth of bill is also measured with dividers, and is a measurement requiring extreme care. Length of tarsus is measured with dividers, one point resting in the tibio-tarsal joint, on the outer side, the other on the lower edge of lowermost tarsal scutella, in front (in Passerine and certain Picarian and Raptorial birds), or to the more or less obvious transverse depression markin«- the line of separation between tarsus and base of middle toe (in most water birds and some others). Length of middle toe is always measured with dividers from the last-mentioned point to the base of the claw, on top, and not including the claw, unless so stated. Measurements of eggs represent the average of six specimens (more or less, ac- cording to the extent of the series available for the purpose) which represent or approximate the average size and form as nearly as could be determined by the eye alone. THE NAMES OP COLORS used in the diagnoses are adopted from the author's " No- menclature of Colors," * in which may be found an elaborate though concise treatise on the subject, designed especially for the uses of the naturalist, and in which 186 colors, embracing all that are named in descriptive ornithology, are depicted, by hand-colored plates. ILLUSTRATIONS. — With the exception of those which have already appeared in the Review of American Birds? History of North American Birds,3 and Water Birds of North America* the illustrations have been made specially for the present work by Mr. John L. Bidgway, under the author's supervision, and engraved by the cele- brated " Jewett" process of Messrs. Matthews, Northrupp & Co., of Buffalo, N.Y. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS are specially due to Professor Baird, not only for the 1 A | Nomenclature of Colors | for Naturalists, | and | Compendium of Useful Knowledge | for Ornitholo- gists. | By | Robert Ridgway, | Curator, Department of Birds, United States National Museum. | With ten colored plates and seven plates | of outline illustrations. | Boston : | Little, Brown, and Company. | 1887. | [In this work is also embodied a " Glossary of terms used in descriptive ornithology," in which references are given to all the plates. The latter include, besides those representing the colors, three showing the exter- nal anatomy or " topography" of a bird, with special reference to the names used in descriptions, one illus- trating various egg-contours, one showing a comparative scale of standard measurements, and two upon which are depicted the various forms or patterns of feather-markings. There is also, among other things useful to the naturalist, a series of tables for the easy conversion of inches and decimals into millimetres, and vice versa.] 1 Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections. | — 181 — | Review | of American Birds, in the Museum of the | ' Smithsonian Institution. | By | S. F. Baird. | — Part I. North and Middle America. | — [Medallion.] Wash- ington : | Smithsonian Institution. | One volume, 8vo; date of publication (by signatures), June, 1864, to June, 1866. 8 A | History | of | North American Birds | by | S. F. Baird, T. M. Brewer, and R. Ridgway | Land Birds | Illustrated by 64 colored plates and 593 woodcuts | Volume I [—III]. [Vignette.] | Boston | Little, Brown, and Company | 1874. | [This is the most recent work on North American ornithology, giving, besides technical descriptions, synonymy, etc., a general account of the history and habits of each species, as known up to date of publica- tion. The size is small 4to, and the total number of pages nearly 1800.] 4 Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College, Vols. XII. and XIII. The Water Birds of North America. By S. F. Baird, T. M. Brewer, and R. Ridgway. Issued in continuation of the pub- lications of the California Geological Survey. J. D. Whitney, State Geologist. Boston. Little, Brown, and Company, 1884. [Two volumes, uniform in general style, typography, etc., with the " History of North American Birds," and in reality the conclusion of that work. Total number of pages 1104, embellished by numerous wood-cuts.] INTRODUCTION. xi privilege of consulting specimens and books so essential to the preparation of this work; but also for the friendly advice and valuable suggestions which have ren- dered comparatively easy the performance of a task which under less favorable auspices would have been far more difficult of accomplishment. For valuable aid, always most cordially rendered, the author is much indebted to Dr. Leonhard Stejneger, whose well-known thorough bibliographical knowledge and excellent judgment have greatly facilitated the settlement of many vexatious questions of synonymy and difficult problems of relationship. To the authorities of the several public museums and the owners of the private collections already mentioned, the author is glad to have this opportunity of publicly expressing his sense of obliga- tion for many courtesies, including, besides unrestricted access to the collections in question, the loan of valuable and unique type specimens. RE. AMERICAN BIRDS. KEY TO THE HIGHER GROUPS. a1. Hind toe connected by web or membrane with the inner toe. Order Steganopodes. (Page 73.) a2. Hind toe not connected with inner toe. bl. Nostrils tubular Order Tubinares. (Page 50.) 6J. Nostrils not tubular. c1. Cutting-edges of bill more or less distinctly fringed or serrated. dl. Legs short, or but slightly lengthened ; bill not abruptly bent downward from the middle Order Anseres. (Page 84.) d1. Legs excessively lengthened j bill bent abruptly downward from the middle Order Odontoglossse. (Page 121.) c2. Cutting-edges of bill not fringed nor serrated. dl. Legs inserted far behind the middle of the body, which in standing position is more or less erect, the toes webbed or conspicuously lobed Order Pygopodes. (Page 4.) d2. Legs inserted near the middle of the body, which in standing posi- tion is nearly horizontal, or else toes not webbed. e1. Anterior toes distinctly webbed, and tarsus shorter than tail. Order Longipennes. (Page 20.) e?. Anterior toes not distinctly webbed, or else tarsus decidedly longer than tail, or else bill extremely small, with gape very broad and deeply cleft. /*. Lower portion of thighs naked, or else bill lengthened and grooved along each side, the outer and middle toes separated for their entire length. gl. Hind toe well developed and inserted at same level with anterior toes, the claws never excessively lengthened ; loral or orbital regions, or both (some- times whole head), naked. Order Herodiones. (Page 122.) l NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. g*. Hind toe (if present) small and inserted above the level of the rest, or else size small or medium (never as much as 3 feet long) ; loral and orbital regions fully feathered, and middle claw with edge not pectinated. hl. If more than 3 feet long, the hind toe short and elevated ; if under 3 feet long, the hind toe on same level with anterior toes. Order Paludicolae. (Page 134.) h*. Never over 3 feet long (usually much less), the hind toe (if present) short and elevated, or else the claws excessively lengthened and wings spurred. Order Limicolae. (Page 143.) /J. Lower portion of thighs feathered (or else middle and outer toes united for at least half their length), the bill if lengthened not grooved along the side. gl. Bill strongly hooked, with a distinct naked cere at base of upper mandible ; or if no naked cere, the toes 2 in front and 2 behind. hl. Toes 3 in front, or else outer toe reversible. Order Raptores. (Page 218.) A*. Toes 2 in front, 2 behind (outer toe permanently reversed) Order Psittaci. (Page 268.) g*. Bill not strongly hooked, and without naked cere at base of upper mandible ; or if with a cere, the latter swollen and the bill straight. hl. Hind toe small and elevated, or else bill with- out soft swollen cere. Order Gallinse. (Page 184.) Af. Hind toe (or toes) well developed and on same level with anterior toes. il. Bill with soft swollen cere at base of upper mandible. Order Columbae. (Page 210.) i*. Bill without soft swollen cere. • /. Wings very long, with 10 quills, tail of 10 feathers, and gape very wide and deeply cleft, or else bill long and slender, tongue extensile, and secondaries only 6 in number. Order Macrochires. (Page 297.) j*. Wings not very long and gape not very wide nor deeply cleft, or else wing with only 9 quills and tail-feathers 12 in number. KEY TO THE HIGHER GROUPS. #. Toes only 2 in front, or if 3, the middle and outer toes con- nected for at least half their length. Z1. Tail-feathers stiff and more or less pointed, and bill more or less chisel-like. Order Pici. (Page 280.) Z2. Tail-feathers neither stiff nor pointed, and bill not chisel- like. Order Coccyges. (Page 271.) k*. Toes 3 in front, 1 behind, the middle and outer toes not united for half their length, lower part of thighs feathered, and tarsus equal to or longer than lateral toes. Order Passeres. (Page 321.) NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. ORDER PYGOPODES.— THE DIVING BIRDS. (Page 1) Families. a*. Tail-feathers wanting. Anterior toes lobed, the nails very broad, flat, and with rounded tips. (Sub- order Podicipedes) Podicipidae. (Page 4.) a2. Tail-feathers present, but short. (Suborder CepphL} bl. Hind toe present Urinatoridse. (Page 6.) 62. Hind toe absent Alcidae. (Page 8.) FAMILY PODICIPID^.— THE GREBES. (Page 4.) Nest a thick matted platform of rushes, sedges, etc., usually floating upon the surface of the water in grassy or sedgy ponds or marshes. Eggs 2-5, dull white, bluish white, or very pale bluish green, usually stained more or less (often quite deeply) with light brown, by contact with decomposed vegetable matter. Genera. a1. Bill slender, the length of the culmen much more than twice the depth at the bl. Length of culmen five or more times as much as greatest depth of the bill; neck nearly as long as the body /Echmophorus. (Page 4.) b2. Length of culmen less than four times as much as greatest depth of the bill ; neck much shorter than the body Colymbus. (Page 5.) «2. Bill very stout, the length of the culmen less than twice as much as the greatest depth of the bill Podilymbus. (Page 6.) GENUS ^CHMOPHORUS COUES. (Page 4, pi. I., fig. !.)• Species. COMMON CHARACTERS. — Pileum and cervix slaty black ; rest of upper parts slaty, inner webs of remiges chiefly white; entire lower parts, including lower half of head and all of neck except stripe down the cervix, pure satiny white. Downy young: Above uniform brownish gray, lighter anteriorly; lower parts uniform white. a1. Length 24.00-29.00 inches; wing 7.45-8.50 (average 8.07); culmen 2.60- 3.05 (2.78). Eggs 2-5, 2.40 X 1-54. Hab. Western North America (chiefly the interior) from Mexico and Lower California to Manitoba. 1. JEi. occidentalis (LAWR.). Western Grebe. a*. Length about 22.00 inches; wing 6.70-7.75 (7.31); culmen 2.10-2.48 (2.25). Eggs 2-5, 2.1 6 X 1-41. Hab. "Western North America, chiefly along Pacific coast — .££>. clarkii (LAWR.). Clark's Grebe. CO LY MB US. GENUS COLYMBUS LINNAEUS. (Page 4, pi. I., figs. 2, 3.) Species. a1. Wing 5.00 inches or more. bl. B1H about as long as the head. "Wing more than 6.00 inches. (Subgenus Colymbus.') c1. Feathers of lower parts pure white to the extreme base. Nuptial plumage : Throat and chin buffy white, passing posteriorly into rich ferruginous on the very prominent auricular frill, which is tipped with black ; top of head and elongated tufts on each side of occiput glossy black. Length 22.00-24.00; wing 6.80-7.75; culmen 1.75- 2.30. Hab. Nearly cosmopolitan, but no authentic record for any portion of America. C. cristatus LINN. Crested Grebe.1 c2. Feathers of lower parts white only superficially, the concealed portion being distinctly grayish. Nuptial plumage : Top of head dull black, somewhat glossy ; rest of head ash-gray, bordered above and poste- riorly by whitish ; neck rufous. d1. Length about 17.50 ; wing 6.45-7.00 (6.63) ; culmen 1.50-1.55 (1.53). Hab. Northern portions of eastern hemisphere. C. grisegena BoDD. Red-necked Grebe.* d\ Length 18.00-20.50 ; wing 7.30-8.10 (7.65) ; culmen 1.65-2.40 (2.02). Eggs 2-5, 2.23 X 1-37. Hab. North America, including Green- land, breeding far northward ; eastern Asia. 2. C. holbcellii (EEINH.). Holbcell's Grebe. b*. Bill much shorter than head. Wing not more than 6.00 inches. (Subgenus Dytes KAUP.) c1.. Bill compressed (deeper than wide) at base. Nuptial plumage : Lower neck and chest rufous; sides of occiput with a very full dense tuft of soft, blended, ochraceous feathers. Downy young: Whole top of head dusky ; sides of head whitish with two stripes and several irregular spots of dusky ; a dusky streak on each side of throat ; upper parts plain dusky grayish. Length 12.50-15.25 ; wing about 5.75. Eggs 2-7, 1.78 X 1-20. Hab. Northern portion of northern hemisphere, breeding in America chiefly north of the United States 3. C. auritus LINN. Horned Grebe. c2. Bill depressed (wider than deep) at base. Nuptial plumage : Head, neck, and chest black ; sides of head, behind eyes, with a tuft-like or somewhat fan-shaped loose patch of slender ochraceous feathers. Downy young : Top of head dusky, with several white markings, the middle of the crown with a small naked, reddish space ; no dusky 1 Colymbus cristatus LINN., S.N. ed. 10, 1758, 135. 2 Colymbus grisegena BODD., Tabl. P. E. 1783, 55. 6 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. streak on side of throat, or elsewhere below level of eyes. Length 12.00-14.00 ; wing 5.20-5.50. dl. Three or four inner quills mostly or entirely white. Hob. Central Europe and Asia. C. nigricollis (BREHM). Eared Grebe.1 d2. Inner quills with inner webs wholly dusky. Colors generally duller and bill more slender. Eggs 4-8, 1.75 X 1.19. Hob. Western North America, north to Great Slave Lake, south to Guatemala, east to Mississippi Valley. 4. C. nigricollis californicus (HEERM.). American Eared Grebe. a1. Wing less than 5.00 inches. (Subgenus Podiceps LATH.) Tarsus 'decidedly shorter than middle toe without claw. Nuptial plumage : Top of head dull greenish black; rest of head dark gray or dull plum- beous, the chin and throat dull black. Downy young : Top of head black, with a rufous spot in middle of crown, and various white markings ; sides and underparts of head and neck white varied with black lines. Length 9.00-10.50 ; wing 4.00. Eggs 1.35 X -94. Hab. Tropical America in general, north to southern Texas and Lower California. 5. C. dominicus LINN. St. Domingo Grebe. GENUS PODILYMBUS LESSON. (Page 4, pi. I., fig. 5.) Species. Brownish above, silvery^ white beneath, the feathers dark grayish basally. Nuptial plumage : Chin, throat, and anterior portion of malar region black ; rest of head and neck brownish gray, darker above; lower parts spotted with dusky; bill whitish, crossed about the middle by a black band. Winter plumage : Black throat, etc., of nuptial plumage replaced by dull whitish, the rest of the head browner ; lower parts without dusky spots ; bill brownish (paler on lower man- dible) without black band. Young : Similar to winter adult, but sides of head more or less distinctly striped with brown. Downy young : Head and neck distinctly striped with white and black, the crown with a rufous spot ; a rufous spot on upper part of nape and on each side of occiput ; upper parts blackish, marked with four strips of grayish white. Length 12.00-15.00 ; wing 4.50-5.00. Eggs 4-5, 1.72 X 1.99. Hab. The whole of America, except extreme northern and southern districts. 6. P. podiceps (LINN.). Pied-billed Grebe. FAMILY URINATORID^,— THE LOONS. (Page 4.) Genus. (Characters same as those given for the family) Urinator. (Page 7.) 1 Podicept nigricollia BREHM, Vog. Deutochl., 1831, 963. Colymbus nigricollis STEJN., Auk, ii., Oct. 1885, 340. URINATOR. 7 GENUS URINATOR CUVIER. (Page 6, pi. II., fig. 1.) Species. COMMON CHARACTERS. — Above blackish or slaty, beneath white. In summer, upper parts spotted or speckled with white, the throat and fore-neck blackish or chestnut. In winter, and in young, upper parts without white markings, and throat and fore-neck white like rest of lower parts. Downy young uniform sooty grayish, the belly white. Nest built on ground at edge of marsh or lake. Eggs 2, elongate- ovate, deep brown or olive, rather sparsely speckled or spotted with dark brown and blackish. a1. Tarsus shorter than middle toe without claw ; fore-neck blackish in summer. bl. Distance from base of culmen to anterior point of loral feathers, above nostrils, greater than the distance from the latter point to anterior bor- der of nostrils. Summer plumage with head and neck black all round, the middle of the fore-neck and sides of lower neck each crossed by a bar or transverse series of white streaks. c1. Tarsus shorter than exposed culmen; bill in adult blackish (almost wholly deep black in summer) ; head and neck glossed with velvety green ; white spots on scapulars broad as long ; length 28.00-36.00 ; wing 13.00-15.25 (14.06); culmen 2.75-3.50 (3.07); depth of bill through base .90-1.05 (.96). Eggs 3.52 X 2.27. Hob. Northern part of northern hemisphere, breeding from northern United States northward 7. U. imber (GUNN.). Loon. c2. Tarsus longer than exposed culmen; bill in adult whitish (almost wholly yellowish white in summer)'; head and neck glossed with velvety violet-blue ; white spots on scapulars decidedly longer than broad; length about 35.00-38.00 ; wing 14.85-15.45 (15.11); culmen 3.50-3.65 (3.59) ; depth of bill through base 1.00-1.20 (1.09). Sab. Western Arctic America and northeastern Asia. 8. U. adamsii (GRAY). Yellow-billed Loon. 62. Distance from base of culmen to anterior point of loral feathers, not greater than distance from the latter point to anterior extremity of nostril. Summer plumage with upper part of head and hind part of neck gray- ish ; throat and fore-neck black, without white streaks, but several lon- gitudinal series of the latter down the side of the neck, between the black and the gray. c1. Fore-neck and under side of neck glossed with velvety purple ; occi- put and hind-neck deep gray, almost plumbeous. Length 26.00- 29.00; wing 12.15-13.20 (12.55); culmen 2.50-2.85 (2.60); depth of bill at base, .75-.80 (.78). Eggs 3.09 X 1-96. HaJb. Northern por- tions of northern hemisphere, breeding in Arctic regions; in North America, south, in winter, to extreme northern United States, east of the Rocky Mountains. 9. U. arctiqus (LINN.). Black-throated Loon, 8 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 2. Tail and upper coverts white, sometimes tinged with gray. Summer adult: Head, neck, and lower parts black, the under tail- coverts white ; upper parts plumbeous, more silvery on wings, the anterior lesser coverts being white ; legs and feet bright red (drying brownish). Young : " Posterior portion of the crown, a patch on the side of the head, and one on the hind-neck dark sooty gray, the feathers with lighter margins, the patch on the hind-neck with brownish markings ; rest of the head, neck, and entire under parts pure white; back and scapulars blue-gray, broadly tipped with blackish gray ; wings as in the adult in winter, but the wing- coverts tipped with light reddish brown ; rump and upper tail- coverts white; tail light French gray, becoming darker towards the tip." (DRESSER.) Downy young : " Upper parts warm reddish buff, boldly marked with black on the crown, nape, back, wings, and rump; under parts grayish buff with a sooty tinge, marked with sooty gray on the upper throat ; space round the eye nearly white." (DRESSER.) Length about 9.50, wing 7.60-8.20, tail 2.80- 3.25, culmen .90-.95. Nest in marshes. Eggs 1.36 X 0.99, essen- tially similar in coloration to those of H. nigra surinamensis. Hob. Europe, etc. ; accidental (?) in North America (Lake Koshkonong, "Wisconsin). 78. H. leucoptera (TEMM.). White-winged Black Tern. a*. "Wing more than 9.00. Head with a broad white stripe on each side, in summer adult. Summer adult : Top of head and hind-neck black ; broad stripe on side of head (from chin and corner of mouth to behind ear-coverts), lower tail-coverts, and under wing-coverts white ; rest of plumage uniform plum- beous. Sab. Europe, etc. ; accidental in West Indies. H. leucopareia (NATT.). Whiskered Tern.1 GENUS ANOUS LEACH. (Page 24, pi. XII., fig. 1.) Species. COMMON CHARACTERS. — Plumage uniform sooty brownish, becoming hoary on forehead or top of head. Nest on trees or bushes around borders of oceanic islands, rather bulky, composed of sticks, etc. Egg single (usually, at least), buffy or buffy 1 Sterna leucopareia NATT., in Temm. Man. 1820, 726. Hydrochelidon leucopareia GOULD, Handb. B. Austr. ii. 1865, 406. 48 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. whitish, sparsely speckled or spotted, chiefly round larger end, with brown and purplish gray. a1. Lores dusky, in abrupt and marked contrast with the hoary of the forehead. bl. Only the forehead distinctly whitish. Uniform sooty brown, becoming gradually grayer on neck, and pass- ing gradually through intermediate shades to white on forehead; quills nearly black. Young (?) : Similar, but head uniform grayish brown, the frontlet hoary grayish. Length 13.00-16.35, wing 10.00- 10.50, tail 6.00, culmen 1.75, depth of bill at base .38. Egg averaging 2.06 X 1-37. Hob. Intertropical seas generally, also coast of south- ern Atlantic and Gulf States 79. A. stolidus (LmN.). Noddy. 62. Whole top of head distinctly whitish. c1. White of crown changing gradually into ashy on hind-neck ; plumage of body, etc., sooty brown. Hob. Intertropical seas and coasts generally, including Gulf coast of Mexico. A. melanogenys GRAY. Black-cheeked Noddy.1 c2. White of crown abruptly defined against sooty brown of hind-neck ; plumage of body, etc., sooty black. Hob. Southwestern Pacific. A. leucocapillus GOULD. White-crowned Noddy.2 a2. Lores hoary whitish, like forehead. Hoary ash of occiput and hind-neck changing gradually into sooty brown on chin and throat, the cheeks being grayish. Hob. Indian Ocean. A. tenuirostris (TEMM.). Slender-hilled Noddy.8 FAMILY RYNCHOPID^.— THE SKIMMERS. (Page 20.) Genera. (Characters same as given for the Family) Rynchops. (Page 48.) GENUS RYNCHOPS LINNAEUS. (Page 48, pi. VI., fig. 5.) Species. a1. Secondaries very broadly tipped with white ; tail white, only the middle pair .of feathers grayish or dusky; under wing-coverts white. Summer adult: Forehead, sides of head, and entire lower parts, white ; upper parts, including hind-neck, top of head, and ear-coverts, black, the secondaries and inner pri- maries broadly tipped with white ; tail white, the middle feathers chiefly grayish brown ; basal half of bill, with legs and feet, bright vermilion-red in life (changing to dull whitish in dried skins) ; terminal portion of bill I Anon* melanogenys GRAY, Gen. B. iii. 1849, 661, pi. 182. II Anous leucocapilhis GOULD, P. Z. S. 1845, 103 ; Birds Austr. pt. vii. 1848, pi. 35. 8 Sterna tenuirostris TEMM., PI. Col. 202 (1838). Anous tenuirostris SAUNDERS, P. Z. S. 1876, 670, pi. 61, fig. 1. RYNCHOPS. 49 black. Winter adult : Similar as to plumage, but the black more brownish, and interrupted by a white collar across hind-neck. Young: Above light buff, each feather with a central spot of black, these largest on scapulars ; lores and beneath eye uniform pale buff; lower parts white. Downy young : Above pale grayish buff, irregularly and sparsely mottled with blackish ; lower parts plain white. (Lower mandible not longer than upper in very young birds.) Length 17.00-20.00, wing 14.75-15.75, tail 5.50 (forked for about 1.20), culmen 2.20-2.80, lower mandible 2.90-4.10. Nest a depression in sand, near sea-shore. Eggs 2-5, 1.74 X 1-32, ovate, or short-ovate, white, buffy white, or pale buff, marked with large bold spots of rich dark or deep brown, and smaller, fainter spots of purplish gray. Hab. Sea-coast of warmer parts of America ; on the Atlantic side, north, regularly, to New Jersey, casually to Nova Scotia 80. R. nigra LINN. Black Skimmer. Secondaries without white tips ; tail dusky, the feathers with paler edges ; under wing-coverts brownish gray ; otherwise similar to E. nigra, but averaging larger, with longer bill and wing especially. Hab. Coasts of South America (Peru; Demerara, etc.). R. melanura BOIE. Black-tailed Skimmer.1 1 Rynchopa melanurus " BOIK," SWAINS. Anim. in Menag. 1838, 340. 50 FORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. ORDER TUBINARES. — THE TUBE-NOSED SWIM- MERS. (Page 1.) Families. a1. Wings very long ; nostrils opening in anterior end of horizontal nasal tubes. ft1. Nasal tubes widely separated by the intervening culmen ; size very large (equal to a large goose or larger) ; wing very narrow, with very nu- merous (39-50) remiges Diomedeidae. (Page 50.) d*. Nasal tubes united, and resting upon the basal portion of the culmen ; size and other characters extremely variable, but usually medium-sized or small, and remiges never more than 39 (usually 30, or less). Procellariidae. (Page 53.) a*. "Wings very short, and general appearance decidedly Auk-like ; nostrils opening upwards, as parallel longitudinal slits, at very base of culmen. Halodromidae. (Extralimital.) FAMILY DIOMEDEIDAE.— THE ALBATROSSES. (Page 50.) Nest a mound-like heap of grasses, etc., with depressed top, built upon the ground in open situations, on oceanic islands. Egg single, ovate, or elliptical ovate, white, sometimes speckled or sprinkled on larger end with reddish brown. Genera. a1. Sides of lower mandible without longitudinal groove ; wing three or more times as long as the short, rounded tail. fc1. Upper division of the bill much broadest at base, where joined closely to the lateral division Diomedea. (Page 50.) ft*. Upper division of the bill narrow, and of equal width from the middle of the culmen to the base, where widely separated from the lateral division by the interposition of a strip of naked skin extending from the nasal tubes to the forehead Thalassogeron. (Page 52.) of. Sides of lower mandible with a distinct longitudinal groove, extending the entire length of the lateral division ; wing only about twice as long as the gradu- ated or wedge-shaped taiL Phcebetria. (Page 53.) Gurus DIOMEDEA Lnra^us. (Page 50, pL XLTL, figs. 1, 2.) a1. Culmen very concave ; feathers at base of upper mandible extending in an angle nearly or quite to the base of the nasal tube, those at the base of the lower mandible forming a still more decided angle. (Subgenus Diomedea.') DIOMEDEA. 51 Wing 26.50-29.00 inches ; total length, 44.00-55.00, extent, 125.00-130.00. Adult : White, the remiges blackish. Young : Dusky, with fore part of the head whitish (older individuals with more white, according to age). Egg 4.95 X 3.15, white, minutely sprinkled over large end with brownish (adventitious stain in pores of shell ?). Hab. Southern seas in general, north, casually or very irregularly, to Florida (Tampa Bay) and coast of Washington Territory. — . D. exulans LINN. Wandering Albatross.1 Culmen slightly concave, the bill more compressed ; feathers at base of maxilla extending in a nearly straight obliquely transverse line far back of the nasal tube, those at the base of the lower mandible also extending nearly straight across. bl. Lateral division of the bill narrower at base than in the middle. (Sub- genus Ph&bastria EEICH.*) c1. "Length 28.50-36.00, wing 18.50-20.50, culmen 4.00-4.25, depth of bill at base 1.45-1.60, tarsus 3.50-3.70, middle toe 4.05-4.40. Adult : Uni- form dusky, more grayish below, the tail-coverts, base of tail, and anterior portion of the head white ; bill dusky purplish brown ; feet black. Young : Similar to adult, but upper tail-coverts dusky, and white of head more restricted (sometimes almost obsolete). Hab. Xorth Pacific; on the American side, from coast of California (very abundant) to Alaska. 81. D. nigripes ATTD. Black-footed Albatross. c*. Length 33.00-37.00, wing 22.00-23.00, culmen 5.50-5.60, depth of bill at base 1.95-2.05, tarsus 3.80-4.00, middle toe 4.65-4.90. Adult: White, becoming straw-yellow on head and neck; tail-feathers, remiges, etc, slaty brown, the primaries with yellow shafts. Young : Uniform sooty or dusky, the head and neck nearly black ; shafts of primaries straw-yellow ; bill and feet pale brownish. Hab. North Pacific ; on the American side occurring from California to Alaska, but chiefly northward. 82. D. albatrus PALL. Short-tailed Albatross. 6*. Lateral division of bill broader at base than in middle. (Subgenus Tkalas- sarche REICH.") c1. Lower parts white ; upper parts plain dusky. d1. Under wing-coverts chiefly, or in large part, white. Adult (and young f) : Head, neck, rump, upper tail-coverts, and entire lower parts white, the sides of the head with a more or less distinct grayish stripe, darkest near the eye ; back and scapu- lars brownish slate, more ashy anteriorly, the wings plain dusky; color of bill varying from pale yellowish in adult to dark horn-color in young; wing 19.50^20.50, tail 8.00-8.50, 1 Diamtdea exulant Li»-.. S. X. ed. 10, i. 1758, 132. * Pkoebattria REICH., Syst. AT. 1S52, p. v. Type. DitmtJtm iraeijrwra TEXY., = D. al&atna PALL. 3 T\alaHarch*. Bill compressed, or higher than broad, at base ; space between nasal tube and base of unguis less than the length of the former ; upper parts parti- colored ; head dusky ; tail-feathers 12. (Subgenus Thalassoica EEicn.1) Head and neck sooty grayish, darker on top ; back, scapulars, rump, tip of tail, primary-coverts, lesser wing-coverts, and greater part of primaries, sooty slate ; lower parts, secondaries, greater wing-coverts, inner webs of primaries, tail (except terminal band), and upper tail- coverts, white ; wing 12.50, culmen 1.40. Hab. Antarctic seas. F. antarcticus (GMEL.). Antarctic Fulmar.2 GENUS PUFFINUS BRISSON. (Page 55, pi. XVI., figs. 3, 4.) Species. a1. Nostrils only partially visible from above, the nasal tubes elevated and inflated anteriorly, where broader than at base; under wing-coverts dusky, and lower parts white. (Subgenus Priofinus HOMBR. & JACQ.) bl. Above ash-gray, more or less tinged with brown, darker on top of head, quills, and tail-feather ; lower parts white, except under wing-coverts and under tail-coverts, which are deep smoky grayish ; bill light yel- lowish, with deep black culmen and nasal tubes, the side of lower man- dible also mostly black ; wing 12.25-13.50, culmen 1.75-1.85, depth of bill in front of nostril .50-.55, tarsus 2.25-2.30, middle toe, with claw, 2.90. Hob. South Pacific, north, casually, to coast of California. 97. P. cinereus (GMEL.). Black-tailed Shearwater. 62. Above brown, the upper tail-coverts tipped with white; wings and tail blackish ; lower parts white, including under wing-coverts and tail- coverts ; bill yellowish, passing into dusky at tip ; wing 15.00, tarsus 2.35, middle toe, with claw, 3.15. Hob. Antarctic seas. P. gelidus (GMEL.). Ice Petrel.3 1 Thalassoica REICH., Syst. Av. 1852, p. iv. Type, Procellaria antarctica GMEL. 2 Procellaria antarctica GMEL., S. N. i. pt. ii. 1788, 565. Thallasoica antarctica REICH., Syst. Av. 1852, p. iv. 1 Procellaria gelida GHEL., S. N. i. 1788, 564. PUFFINUS. 59 a*. Nostrils completely visible from above, the nasal tubes depressed and bevelled anteriorly, where narrower than at base ; under wing-coverts white, or else lower parts also dusky. bl. Tail much less than half the wing, slightly rounded, or moderately gradu- ated (the graduation not more than two-thirds the length of the tarsus). (Subgenus Puffinus,} cl. Lower parts white. d1. Wing more than 12.00. e1. No distinct line of demarcation between white of throat, etc., and smoky gray of top and sides of head and neck ; bill yellowish ; above brownish gray, feathers of back, etc., tipped with paler; sides of head and neck transversely undulated with ash-gray and white. f1. Lower tail-coverts entirely white. gl. Length about 18.00, wing 13.00-14.00, culmen 1.80- 2.00, depth of bill through base .65-.70, tarsus 1.85- 2.00, middle toe 2.10-2.25. Downy young : Uni- form sooty grayish brown. Hab. Middle eastern Atlantic; a specimen from Greenland said to be in Leyden Museum (cf. SCHLEG. Mus. P.-B., Pro- cellarice, 1863, p. 24). P. kuhlii (BoiE). Cinereous Shearwater.1 g*. Length about 20.00-22.00, wing 13.75-14.50, culmen 2.10-2.25, depth of bill at base .75-.80, tarsus 2.20- 2.25, middle toe 2.45. Hab. Western North At- lantic (off coast of Massachusetts). 88. P. borealis CORY. Cory's Shearwater. /*. Lower tail-coverts uniform dark sooty grayish. Length 19.00, wing 12.50-13.25, culmen 1.60-1.70, depth of bill through base .6S-.75, tarsus 2.05-2.12, middle toe 2.15-2.40. Hab. Eastern Pacific Ocean from California to Chili. 91. P. creatopus COTJES. Pink-footed Shearwater. e1. White of throat, etc., separated very abruptly from the dusky color of top and sides of head and neck ; bill blackish. Above smoky grayish brown, feathers of back, etc., with paler tips; longer upper tail-coverts mostly white; belly more or less clouded with smoky gray, the flanks and lower tail-coverts mostly grayish brown ; length 19.00-20.00, wing 11.50-13.00, culmen 1.80-1.85. Hab. Atlantic Ocean generally. 89. P. major FABER. Greater Shearwater. d*. Wing less than 10.00. el. Above sooty slate, without white tips to wing-coverts, etc. 1 For references, see A. 0. U. Check List, p. 350. 60 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. fl. Tarsus 1.75, or more. gl. Tail 3.10, or less. Above uniform sooty blackish, the head and neck not perceptibly paler; lower tail-coverts mixed white and dusky, in greatly varying ' relative amount; length 13.00-15.00, wing 8.50-9.25, tail 2.60-3.10, culmen 1.35-1.40, depth of bill at base .40-.45, tarsus 1.70-1.80, middle toe 1.65-1.70. Downy young: Sooty brownish gray above, grayish white below. Egg 2.36 X 1-62. Hob. Northern Atlantic (chiefly the eastern side) and Mediterranean Sea 90. P. puffinus (BRUNN.). Manx Shearwater. g*. Tail 3.25, or more. Above uniform sooty slate, appreciably paler on head and neck ; lower tail-coverts wholly sooty grayish; length 12.25-15.00, wing 9.00-9.10, tail 3.25-3.80, culmen 1.30-1.40, depth of bill at base .35, tarsus 1.75, middle toe 1.70-1.75. Egg 1.79 X 1-27. Sab. Pacific Ocean, from Lower California to New Zealand 93. P. gavia (FORST.). Black-vented Shearwater. f\ Tarsus 1.65, or less. gl. Lower tail-coverts with more or less of dusky. hl. Above uniform sooty black ; white of under side of head extending upward nearly or quite to the eye, sometimes involving part of the lores ; length about 11.00, wing 7.60-8.40, tail 3.50, culmen 1.20-1.25, depth of bill at base .35, tarsus 1.50-1.65, middle toe 1.45-1.60. Egg 2.05 X 1-45. Sab. Warmer parts of Atlantic Ocean, north, casually, to coast of New Jer- sey 92. P. auduboni FINSCH. Audubon's Shearwater. A2. Similar in color to P. auduboni, but smaller, the bill shorter and more slender, the wing longer; wing 7.00, tail 3.25, culmen .98, tarsus- 1.44, middle toe 1.42. Sab. Pacific Ocean ? (" King George's Sound" J). P. tenebrosus PELZ. Pelzeln's Shearwater.2 1 LATHAM ("Synopsis," iii. pt. ii. p. 417) says "King George's Sound, on the American coast"; but vox PELZELN (Ibis, 1873, p. 47) thinks that this is a mistake, King George's Sound on the west coast of Australia being meant instead. 8 Pufflnut tenebrosiis PELZ., Ibis, 1873, 47. PUFFINUS. 61 g1. Lower tail-coverts entirely white. hl. Dusky of head extending far below the eye, the white being almost confined to throat and fore-neck ; wing 8.30, culmen 1.25, tarsus 1.55, middle toe, with claw, 1.85. Hob. Indian Ocean, and southeastward to New Zealand. P. obscurus (GMEL.). Dusky Shearwater.1 /j2. Dusky of head not descending below the eye, the ear-coverts and greater part of lores being white; wing 6.50, culmen about 1.00, tarsus 1.25. Hab. Australian seas. P. assimilis GOULD. Allied Shearwater. e2. Above plumbeous, the larger wing-coverts, scapulars, etc., nar- rowly tipped with whitish. Lower parts entirely white ; wing 7.30, tail 2.70, culmen 1.07, tarsus 1.70, middle toe, with claw, 1.95. Hab. South Atlantic. P. elegans GIGL. & SALVAD. Elegant Shearwater.8 e2. Lower parts uniform dusky, or sooty gray (the chin and throat some- times whitish). d1. Bill black or dusky. el. Culmen much longer than the combined length of the first two divisions of the outer toe. f1. Wing more than 11.00 ; bill horn-gray or dusky brownish ; under wing-coverts mottled with white and smoky gray, and with dusky shaft-streaks. gl. Under wing-coverts gray, transversely mottled with white at tips; length about 16.00, wing 11.15- 12.00, culmen 1.60-1.75, depth of bill at base .50- .55, tarsus 2.05-2.15, middle toe 2.05-2.20. Egg 2.58 X 1-78. Hab. North Atlantic, from the New- foundland Banks to South Carolina on the Ameri- can side. 94. P. Strickland! EIDGW. Sooty Shearwater. <72. Under wing-coverts white, transversely mottled with gray at tips; wing 11.15-12.00, culmen 1.55-1.70, depth of bill at base .45-.S5, tarsus 2.12-2.35, middle toe 2.05-2.25. Hab. South Pacific, north, on American side, to California 95. P. griseus (GMEL.). Dark-bodied Shearwater. 1 Procellaria obscura GMEL., S. N. i. pt. ii. 1788, 559. Puffinw obscurus REICH., Novit. Synop. Av. Natat. Dec. 1850 (second page). 2 Puffinw assimilis GOULD, P. Z. S. 1837, 186; B. Austr. vii. pi. 59. 8 Puffinw elegans GIGLIOLI & SALVADOEI, Ibis, 1869, 67, 68. SALVIN, Rowley's Orn. Misc. pt. ir. 1876, 256, pi. 34. 62 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. /2. Wing less than 10.00; bill deep black; under wing-coverts uniform deep sooty black. Uniform sooty black, the lower parts much darker and browner than in stricklandi and griseus ; wing 9.80, tail 3.50, culmen 1.25, tarsus 1.70, middle toe, with claw, 1.98. Hab. Pacific Ocean (Christmas Island). P. nativitatis STREETS. Christmas Island Shearwater.1 e2. Culmen less than the combined length of the first two divisions of the outer toe. Above dark sooty slate, beneath deep sooty gray, paler on throat, where sometimes inclining to whitish ; wing 10.00-11.10, tail 3.20-3.60, culmen 1.20-1.28, depth of bill at base .35-.50, tarsus 1.90-2.00, middle toe, with claw, 2.18-2.42. Hab. Pacific Ocean, from Alaska and Kamtschatka to Australia 96. P. tenuirostris (TEMM.). Slender-billed Shearwater. cP. Bill light-colored (pinkish or fleshy white in life), the nails black- ish. Sab. Off western coast of Australia. P. carneipes GOULD. Flesh-footed Shearwater.2 62. Tail nearly or quite half as long as the wing, graduated for about as much as the length of the tarsus. (Subgenus Theillus GLOGER.S) c1. Lower parts uniform sooty grayish. dl. Bill dusky or brownish, with flesh-colored or reddish tinge in life ; wing 10.50-11.25, tail 5.00-6.00 (graduated for about 2.00), cul- men 1.60, tarsus 1.90, middle toe, with claw, 2.35. Hab. Aus- tralian seas P. sphenurus GOULD. Wedge-tailed Shearwater.* (P. Bill " greenish orange," with black tip and culmen ; rather larger than P. sphenurus. Hab. Indian Ocean, from western Australia to Cape of Good Hope. P. chlororhynchus LESS. Green-billed Shearwater.5 c2. Lower parts white. Top and sides of head white, spotted and streaked with blackish ; wing 11.25-12.50, tail 5.85 (graduated for about 1.80), culmen 1.85, tarsus 1.85, middle toe, with claw, 1.30. Hab. Japanese seas. P. leucomelas (TEMM.). Streaked Shearwater.6 1 Puffinus (Nectris) nativitatis STREETS, Bull. TJ. S. Nat. Mus. No. 7, 1877, 29. 2 Puffinus carneipes GOULD, P. Z. S. 1844, 57. 3 Theillus GLOG., " v. Fror. Notiz. 1827, xvi. 279." Type, Pufflnus chlororhynchus LESS. (?). 4 Puffinus sphenurus GOULD, Ann. Mag. N. H. 1st ser. xiii. 1844, 365 ; B. Austr. vii. pi. 58. 5 Puffinus chlororhynchus LESS., Trait6, 1831, 613. 6 Procellaria leucomelas TEMM., PI. Col. livr. 99, pi. 587 (1838). Puffinus leucomelas BONAP., Consp. ii. 1856, 203. &STRELATA. 63 GENUS .ffiSTRELATA BONAPAETE. (Page 54, pi. XVL, fig. 6.) Species. a1. Inner webs of primaries wholly dusky, except sometimes toward base. bl. Plumage largely or chiefly white beneath. c1. Upper tail-coverts same color as back. d\ Wing more than 9.00. el. Tail ash-gray, the exterior feathers whitish, mottled with gray ; back, scapulars, rump, etc., plain ash-gray or light plumbeous; wings much darker; lower parts white, the sides of the chest and neck waved or barred with ash- gray. f1. Wing 11.50-12.00, tail 5.00-5.90, culmen 1.45-1.50, tarsus 1.65-1.70, middle toe, with claw, 2.40-2.45; top of head almost entirely white. Sab. South Pacific and Indian Oceans. IE., lessoni (GARN.). Lesson's Petrel.1 f\ Wing 9.50-10.50, tail 4.50, culmen 1.10, tarsus 1.33, middle toe, with claw, 1.75 ; top of head deep ash-gray, except anteriorly. Hab. South Pacific and Antarctic Oceans. JE. mollis (GOULD). Downy Petrel.2 e2. Tail uniform dusky, the exterior feathers sometimes mottled with whitish. f1. Axillars and under wing-coverts uniform smoky gray or dusky. gl. Culmen 1.25, or more. A1. Width of upper mandible at base equal to the height of the closed bill at base. Head, neck, and chest uniform sooty grayish brown, darker above, where nearly the same shade as the uniform dark sooty color of the upper parts generally ; entire sides, flanks, and outer webs of exterior lower tail-coverts sooty grayish brown, like under surface of wing ; rest of lower parts white ; wing 11.10, tail 4.70 (gradu- ated for 1.40), culmen 1.28, width of bill at base .65, depth .65, tarsus 1.75, middle 1 Procellaria lessoni GARNOT, Ann. Sc. Nat. vii. 1826, 54, fig. 4. JEatrelata lessoni CASS., Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1862, 327. 1 Procellaria mollis GOULD, Ann. & Mag. N. H. xiii. 1844, 363 ; B. Austr. vii. pi. 50. JEstrelata mollia COVES, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1866, 150. 64 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. toe, with claw, 2.15. Hob. South Pacific (Tahiti). IE., rostrata (PEALE). Thick-billed Petrel.1 /i2. Width of upper mandible at base decidedly less than height of closed bill at base. i1. Under tail-coverts dusky. Head, neck, and chest smoky grayish brown, paler on chest (where feath- ers are white immediately beneath the surface), still paler on throat, where almost white ; sides and top of head, hind-neck, back, and scapulars deeper smoky brownish gray, the dorsal feathers with paler narrow tips ; wings, rump, and tail dusky ; breast and belly soiled white ; wing 12.17-12.50, tail 5.15-5.40 (graduated for 1.60), culmen 1.42-1.60, tarsus 1.65, middle toe, with claw, 1.95-2.42. Hab. Southern oceans, including vi- cinity of Tierra del Fuego. /E. incerta (SCHLEQ.). Schlegel's Petrel.2 z2. Under tail-coverts white. Otherwise, much like J5. incerta, but throat and a superciliary space more distinctly white; wing 12.00-12.21, tail 5.00-5.50, tarsus 1.49-1.60, mid- dle toe, with claw, 2.20. Hab. South Pacific. £L. magentae GIGL. & SALVAD. Magenta Petrel.3 g*. Culmen, 1.14, or less. /i1. Tail 4.75, or more ; culmen 1.12, or more. Above uniform dusky, more grayish an- teriorly, especially on forehead; chest, entire sides, and under surface of wing dusky sooty brown, more gray across chest; throat whitish; breast, belly, and' greater part of under tail-coverts white ; wing 11.20-11.41, tail 4.75-5.50, culmen 1.12-1.14, tarsus 1.30-1.35, middle toe, 1 Proeellaria rostrata PEALE, Zool. U. S. Expl. 1848, 296, oil. pi. 41. ^Estrelata rostrata COUES, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1866, 144. 2 Proeellaria incerta SCHLEG., Mus. P.-B., Procellarise, 1863, 9. ^Estrelata incerta COUES, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1866, 147. 8 JSstrelata magentx GIGL. & SALVAD., Ibis, 1869, 61. SALVIN, Rowley's Orn. Misc. pt. iv. 1876, 251, pi. 30. JESTRELATA. 65 with claw, 1.83-1.90. Hab. South At- lantic (island of Trinidad). IE. arminjoniana GIGL. & SALT AD. Ar- minjon's Petrel.1 A". Tail 4.60, or less; culmen 1.10, or less. Similar in color to JE. arminjoniana, but much darker above, the color inclining to uniform sooty black throughout, the fore- head and chest more brownish ; wing 10.50-11.10, tail 4.40-4.60, culmen 1.08- 1.10, tarsus 1.28-1.35, middle toe, with claw, 1.70-1.78. Hab. South Pacific (Hondon and Christmas Islands). IE,, parvirostris (PEALE). Small-billed Petrel.2 /'. Axillars and under wing-coverts white. Upper parts, including hind-neck and upper tail- coverts, uniform brownish slate, darker on wings and tail and nearly black on head, the feathers of hind-neck and the upper tail-coverts (the latter very abruptly) white beneath the surface ; fore- head, lores, cheeks, and entire lower parts white, the sides and longer lower tail-coverts sometimes irregularly barred with dusky; wing 11.80-12.00, tail 5.50-5.75 (graduated for about 2.40), culmen 1.22, tarsus 1.40, middle toe, with claw, 1.78. Hab. Middle Pacific, from Sandwich Islands to the Galapagos. IE. phseopygia SALV. Dark-rumped Petrel.3 d2. Wing less than 9.00. Plumage much as in JE. phazopygia, but back, scapulars, and upper tail-coverts decidedly plumbeous, the latter not white beneath surface ; wing 8.40-8.60, tail 3.80-4.00 (graduated for about 1.40), culmen .95-.9S, tarsus .95-1.00, middle toe, with claw, 1.30-1.32. Hab. Southern oceans generally. IE. leucoptera (GOULD). White-winged Petrel.4 c2. Upper tail-coverts plain white, in marked contrast with color of back. 1 JSatrelata arminjoniana GIGL. & SALVAD., Ibis, 1869, 62. SALVIN, Rowley's Orn. Misc. pt. iv. 1876, 252, pi. 31. 8 Procellaria parvirostris PEALE, Zool. U. S. Expl. 1848, 298, atl. pi. 40. ^Estrelata parvirostris COUES} Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1866, 146. 8 (Estrelata phseopygia SALVIN, Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond. ix. pt. ix. 1875, 507, pi. 88, fig. 1. (Galapagos.) ? (Estrelata sandwichensis RIDGW., Water B. N. Am. ii. 1884, 395, in text. (Sandwich Islands.) * Procellaria leucoptera GOULD, P. Z. S. 1844, 57 ; B. Austr. pi. 51. (= ^Estrelata cookii COTTES et Aucr. . but, having compared specimens, I am able to say that Procellaria leucnptera GOULD and P. cookii GRAY are not only specifically distinct but belong to entirely different genera, the latter being the type of Cookilaria BONAP., distinguished from ^Estrelata, among other characters, by its lengthened, slender, Shearwater-like bill, as noted on page 55.) 9 66 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Top of head, and upper parts generally, except upper tail-coverts, uniform dusky, the back and scapulars paler, with perceptibly still paler terminal margins to the feathers ; upper tail-coverts, basal half (approximately) of tail, head and neck, except top of the former (and sometimes the hind-neck also), together with lower parts, including axillars and under wing-coverts, pure white; the sides of the chest sometimes with a brownish gray wash; length 14.00-16.00, wing 11.40-11.75, tail 4.80-5.30 (graduated for 1.25-2.00), culmen 1.22-1.38, tarsus 1.40-1.45, middle toe, with claw, 1.98-2.10. Hob. Middle Atlantic, strag- gling to coasts of North America (Florida and Long Island) and Europe.... 98. JE. hasitata (KUHL). Black-capped Petrel. i2. Plumage of lower parts chiefly or entirely dusky. c1. Upper tail-coverts pale smoke-gray or grayish white, in marked contrast. Entirely (except upper tail-coverts) uniform sooty brownish, rather paler and grayer below ; wing 10.80-11.00, tail 4.95-5.00 (graduated for 1.18-1.20), tarsus 1.38-1.40, middle toe, with claw, 1.95-2.00. Hob. Jamaica and adjacent portions of Carib- bean Sea. JE. jamaicensis (BANCROFT). Jamaican Petrel.1 c2. Upper tail-coverts dusky, like rest of plumage. d1. Wing more than 9.50. el. Plumage sooty black above. Lower parts very dark sooty slate, the feathers white beneath the surface ; wing 10.75-12.00, tail 4.50-5.60 (graduated for about 1.20), culmen 1.35, tarsus 1.55- 1.60, middle toe, with claw, 2.20-2.40. Hab. Southern Atlantic, and Antarctic Ocean in vicinity of Kerguelen Island. JE. atlantica (GoiTLD). Atlantic Petrel.1 e2. Plumage slaty or dark sooty grayish or plumbeous above. /*. Larger (wing more than 11.00); wing 11.20, tail 4.55, culmen 1.10, tarsus 1.25, middle toe, with claw, 1.80. Hab. South Atlantic (vicinity of Trinidad Island). /E. trinitatis GIGL. & SALVAD. Trinidad Petrel.8 f\ Smaller (wing less than 11.00) ; wing 9.68-10.20, tail 4.17- 4.35, culmen 1.05-1.08, tarsus 1.35-1.46, middle toe, with claw, 1.69-1.78. Hab. Southern oceans. BL. brevirostris (LESS.). Short-billed Petrel.4 1 Procellaria jamaicensis BANCROFT, Zool. Jour. v. 1828, 81. CEstrelata jamaicensis A. A E. NEWTON, Handb. Jam. 1881, 117. J Procellaria atlantica GOULD, Ann. Mag. N. H. xiii. 1844, 362. » JEstrelata trinitatis SALVAD. A GIGL., Ibis, 1869, 65. SALVIN, Rowley's Orn. Misc. pt. iv. 1876, 253 pi. 32. * Procellaria brevirottrii LESS., TraitS, 1831, 611. (Eetrelata brevirostris SALVIN, Rowley's Orn. Misc. pt. &STRELATA. 67 d?. Wing less than 9.50. Plumage sooty blackish ; wing 9.15, tail 3.82 (graduated for about .44), culmen 1.10, tarsus 1.46, middle toe, with claw, 1.55. Hab. West coast of Africa; vicinity of Bourbon Island. JE. aterrima (SCHLEG.). Black Petrel.1 a\ Inner webs of primaries abruptly white for at least the inner half. bl. Wing more than 9.00. cl. Back uniform grayish, brownish, or dusky. d1. Top of head, back, etc., plain dusky. e1. Shafts of quills whitish ; head, neck, and upper parts plain dark brownish gray, paler (nearly white) on throat and fore-neck ; breast, flanks, and under tail-coverts brownish gray; rest of lower parts sometimes white, sometimes entirely dusky ; wing 11.19-11.64, tail 3.91-4.17, culmen 1.20. Hab. South Pacific, from Sunday Island to Juan Fernandez. JE. neglecta (SCHLEG.). Neglected Petrel.2 e2. Shafts of quills dark brown ; head, neck, and upper parts plain dark slaty (feathers of head and neck white beneath sur- face, those of back, etc., white at base) ; upper tail-coverts and tail brownish ash-gray ; lores, chin, throat, and under tail-coverts white, the first mixed with blackish ; breast, belly, sides, and flanks plain brownish plumbeous, the feathers pure white immediately beneath surface ; thighs and chest white irregularly barred or vermiculated with deep grayish ; wing 10.00, tail 4.00 (graduated for .90) culmen 1.02, depth of bill at base .50, tarsus 1.20, middle toe, with claw, 1.55. Hab. Antarctic Ocean. IE., gularis (PEALE). Peale's Petrel.3 d*. Top of head white, spotted with graj'ish. Back and scapulars fine bluish gray, or plumbeous ; lesser wing-coverts slaty blackish ; greater and middle coverts slate-gray, broadly margined with white ; tail mostly white, irregularly barred and vermiculated with gray; lores, cheeks, chin, throat, middle of chest, and under tail- coverts immaculate pure white ; a blackish spot imme- diately beneath eye; sides of neck and chest densely V. 1876, 235 (in text). JEntrelata grisea COUES, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1866, 148 (ex Procellaria grisea KUHL, nee LATH.). (Estrelata kidderi COUES, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 2, 1875, 28 (Kerguelen Island). 1 Procellaria aterrima " VERREAUX," SCHLEG. Mus. P.-B., Procellarix, 1863, 9. jErtrelata aterrima CODES, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1866, 158. 2 Procellaria neglecta SCHLEG., Mus. P.-B., Procellariee, 1863, 10. ^Estrelata neglecta COUES, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1866, 147. s Procellaria gnlaris PEALE, Zool. U. S. Expl. Exp. 1848, 299. (Estrelata gularis BREWST., Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, iv. 1881,94 (part). 68 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. mottled and vermiculated with ash-gray and white, but the former prevailing; lower breast, belly, sides, and flanks smoky plumbeous superficially, but the feathers all pure white immediately beneath the surface; wing 10.15, tail 4 (graduated for .90), culmen 1.00, tarsus 1.25, middle toe, with claw, 1.70. Hob. North Pacific, in vicinity of • Alaska (Kadiak). 100. IE,, fisheri EIDGW. Fisher's Petrel. 2. Claws excessively lengthened, straight, and acute, that of the hind toe longer than the toe itself. Jacanidae. (Page 183.) FAMILY PHALAROPODIDSE.— THE PHALAROPES. (Page 143.) Genera. a1. Bill broad, flattened, somewhat widened toward end ; nostrils separated from loral feathers by a space equal to the depth of the upper mandible at base. Crymophilus. (Page 144.) a2. Bill slender, nearly cylindrical, not perceptibly widened toward end ; nostrils separated from loral feathers by a space equal to much less than the depth of the upper mandible at the base Phalaropus. (Page 144.) 144 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. GENUS CRYMOPHILUS YIEILLOT. (Page 143, pi. XLIIL, fig. 3.) Species. Adult female in summer : Entire lower parts deep purplish cinnamon ; sides of head white ; fore part and top of head uniform dark plumbeous or blackish ; hind- neck plain cinnamon and plumbeous ; back and scapulars light ochraceous or buff, striped with black. Adult male in summer : Similar to the female, but top of head and hind-neck streaked with ochraceous (or buffy) and blackish, the white on side of head more restricted and less abruptly defined, and size somewhat less. Winter plumage : Head, neck, and lower parts pure white, the occiput and space about eyes dark plumbeous ; upper parts uniform pearl-gray, or light plumbeous. Young: Top of head, hind-neck, back, and scapulars dull black, the feathers edged with ochraceous ; wing-coverts, rump, and upper tail-coverts plumbeous, the middle cov- erts bordered with pale buff, the tail-coverts with ochraceous ; head and neck (ex- cept as described above) and lower parts white, the throat and chest tinged with brownish buff. Downy young : Above bright tawny buff, marked with broad irregular stripes of black ; broad superciliary stripes bright tawny buff, separated anteriorly only by a narrow and somewhat interrupted dusky streak ; crown bright umber-brown bordered with black ; chin and throat light fulvous-buff, changing to smoky buff on chest ; rest of lower parts dull whitish. Length 7.50-8.75, wing 5.25-5.50, culmen .80-.95, tarsus .80-.85, middle toe .75-.80. Eggs 3-4, 1.24 X -86, pale drab, olive-drab, olive-buff, or pale brown, heavily spotted with dark brown. Hob. Northern portions of northern hemisphere, breeding far northward ; in America, south, in winter, to .Middle States, Ohio Yalley, and Cape St. Lucas. 222. C. fulicarius (LINN.). Red Phalarope. GENUS PHALAROPUS BRISSON. (Page 143, pi. XLIIL, figs. 1, 2.) Species. a1. Wing less than 4.50 ; tarsus less" than 1.00 ; web between outer and middle toes extending to or beyond second joint of the latter ; lateral membrane of all the toes broad and distinctly " scalloped." (Subgenus Phalaropus.~) Adult female in summer : Above dark plumbeous, the back striped with ochraceous or buff; wings dusky, the greater coverts broadly tipped •with white ; lower parts white ; chest and sides of neck rufous. Adult male in summer: Similar to the female, but colors duller, the rufous almost confined to sides of neck, and less distinct, the chest chiefly mixed white and grayish. Winter plumage : Forehead, superciliary stripe, sides of head and neck, with lower parts generally, pure white ; top of head grayish, the feathers with dusky shaft-streaks and whitish borders ; a blackish spot in front of eye, and side of head, from beneath eye, across ear-coverts mixed dusky and grayish white ; upper parts chiefly grayish ; sides of chest washed or clouded with grayish. Young : Top of head dusky, with or without streaks ; back and scapulars black- PHALAROPUS. 145 ish, distinctly bordered with buff or ochraceous ; middle wing-coverts bordered with buff or whitish ; forehead, supra-auricular stripe, lores, and lower parts white, the chest and sides of breast sometimes suffused with dull brownish ; ear-coverts dusky. Downy young : Above bright tawny, the rump with three parallel stripes of black, enclosing two of paler fulvous than the ground-color ; a triangular patch of brown on crown, bounded irregularly with blackish ; a black line over ears ; throat and rest of head pale tawny ; rest of lower parts white, be- coming grayish posteriorly. Length 7.00-8.00, wing 4.00-4.45, culmen .80-.90, tarsus .75-.80, middle toe .65-.7S. Eggs 3-4, 1.20 X .82, pale olive-drab or olive-buff, thickly speckled or spotted with dark brown. Hab. Northern portions of northern hemisphere, breeding far north- ward 223. P. lobatus (LINN.). Northern Phalarope. a*. Wing more than 4.50 ; tarsus more than 1.00 ; web between outer and middle toes not reaching to second joint of the latter; lateral membrane of all the toes narrow and not distinctly " scalloped." (Subgenus Steganopus VIEILL.) Adult female in summer : Forehead and crown pale bluish gray, the former with a blackish line along each side; occiput and hind-neck white, changing to plumbeous-gray on back ; stripe on side of head and con- tinued broadly down side of neck deep black, changing gradually on lower portion into rich dark chestnut, this continued backward along each side of back ; short stripe above lores and eyes, chin, cheeks, and throat, pure white ; fore-neck and chest soft buffy cinnamon ; rest of lower parts white ; length 9.40-10.00, wing 5.20-5.30, culmen 1.30-1.35, tarsus 1.30-1.35, middle toe .90-1.00. Adult male in summer: Smaller and much duller in color than the female, with the beautiful tints and pattern of the latter but faintly indicated ; length 8.25-9.00, wing 4.75- 4.80, culmen 1.25, tarsus 1.20-1.25, middle toe .90. Winter plumage: Above plain ash-gray ; upper tail-coverts, superciliary stripe, and lower parts white, the chest and sides of breast shaded with pale gray. Young : Top of head, back, and scapulars dusky blackish, the feathers distinctly bordered with buff; wing-coverts also bordered with pale buff or whitish ; upper tail-coverts, superciliary stripe, and lower parts, white, the neck tinged with buff. Downy young : Bright tawny, paler beneath, the belly nearly white ; occiput and hind-neck with a distinct median streak of black, on the former branching laterally into two narrow irregular lines ; lower back and rump with three broad black stripes ; flanks with a black spot, and region of tail crossed with a wide bar of the same. Eggs 3-4, 1.28 X -90, pale grayish buff varying to brownish buff, thickly speckled and spotted with dark brown or brownish black. Hab. Temperate North America, but chiefly the interior; north to eastern Oregon, the Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia ; south, during migrations, to Brazil and Patagonia. (Not recorded from Pacific slope of California, Oregon, or "Washington Territory.) 224. P. tricolor (VIEILL.). Wilson's Phalarope. 19 146 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. FAMILY RECURVIROSTRID^E.— THE AVOCETS AND STILTS. (Page 143.) Genera. a1. Hind toe present ; anterior toes all webbed ; bill decidedly recurved toward tip. Recurvirostra. (Page 146.) a2. Hind toe absent; no web between inner and middle toes, and that between outer and middle toes occupying less tban balf the space ; bill very slightly or not at all recurved toward tip Himantopus. (Page 146.) GENUS RECURVIROSTRA LINNAEUS. (Page 146, pi. XLIY., fig. 1.) Species. a1. Outer scapulars, rump, and upper tail-coverts, also part of secondaries and greater wing-coverts, white. Wings (except secondaries and terminal half of greater coverts), inner scapulars, and adjacent feathers of back, brownish black ; lower parts, rump, outer scapulars, and middle of back, white ; tail ashy white or pale ashy. Summer adult : Head (except anteriorly), neck, and chest light cinnamon. Winter plumage : Head, neck, and chest white, tinged, more or less, with pale bluish gray, especially on top of head and hind- neck. Young : Similar to winter plumage, but quills slightly tipped with whitish, scapulars, etc., tipped or transversely mottled with buffy or pale fulvous, and hind-neck tinged with light rufous. Length 15.50- 18.75, wing 8.50-9.00, culmen 3.40-3.65, tarsus 3.70-3.80, middle toe 1.60-1.70. Eggs 3-4, 1.93 X 1-35, pale olive, olive-buff, or drab-buff (rarely creamy buff), thickly spotted (sometimes sparsely lined also) with dark brown or black. Hob. Temperate North America, north, in the interior, to the Saskatchewan and Great Slave Lake ; south, in winter, to Guatemala, Cuba, and Jamaica. 225. R. americana GMEL. American Avocet. a2. No white on upper parts, except head, neck, and rump. Hob. Andes of Chili. R. andina PHILLPPI & LANDB. Chilian Avocet.1 GENUS HIMANTOPUS BRISSON. (Page 146, pi. XLIY., fig. 2.) Species. a1. "White of forehead not extending over the crown ; black of hind-neck continuous with that of the back. Adult male : Forehead, spot behind eye, lores, cheeks, entire lower parts (including fore-neck, throat, and chin), rump, and upper tail-coverts, pure white (sometimes tinged with pinkish in breeding season) ; rest of 1 Recurvirostra, andina PHILIPPI & LANDBECK, Weigm. Archiv, 1863, 131. HARTING, Ibis, 1874, 257, pi. 9. SCOLOPACID^E. 147 head and neck, back, scapulars, and wings, uniform glossy greenish black ; tail pale ashy ; iris crimson, and legs and feet delicate lake-red or rose-pink, in life. Adult female: Similar to the male, but back and scapulars brownish slate, and black of other portions duller. Young : Similar to adult female, but feathers of back, scapulars, and tertials bor- dered with buff or dull whitish, the blackish of head and neck finely mottled with the same. Downy young: Above light fulvous-grayish, mottled with dusky, the back and rump marked with several large black blotches ; head, neck, and lower parts fulvous-whitish, the top of head and hind-neck grayish, the crown with a median black streak and occi- put with several spots of blackish. Length 13.50-15.50, wing 8.50-9.00, culmen 2.50, tarsus 4.00, middle toe 1.37. Eggs 3-4, 1.79 X 1-23, similar in coloration to those of Eecurvirostra americana. Hob. Temperate North America, from northern United States southward ; south, in winter, to Peru, northern Brazil, and West Indies. 226. H. mexicanus (MilLL.). Black-necked Stilt. aa. White of forehead extending back to and including the occiput ; black of nape separated from that of the back by a white bar or " collar." Otherwise, similar to H. mexicanus. Hab. Southern South America (Brazil, Argentine Eepublic, Chili, etc.). H. brasiliensis BREHM. Brazilian Stilt. FAMILY SCOLOPACID^E. — THE SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. (Page 143.) (Nest usually on ground, in meadows, marshes, or along banks of streams. Eggs 2-4.) Genera. ^UV. a1. Back of tarsus with a continuous row of transverse scutellse. bl. Ears situated directly underneath the eyes ; tip of upper mandible thick- ened, with cutting-edges brought near together ; plumage the same at all stages and seasons. (Subfamily Scolopacince.') c1. Thighs entirely feathered ; top of head with transverse bands. d1. First quill longer than second, and broad like the rest ; outer webs of quills spotted Scolopax. (Page 149.) d2. Three outermost quills abruptly much shorter and narrower than the fourth ; outer webs of quills plain. Philohela. (Page 150.) c2. Lower part of thighs naked ; top of head with longitudinal stripes. Gallinago. (Page 150.) b*. Ears situated decidedly posterior to the eyes ; tip of upper mandible thin, with cutting-edges far apart ; plumage very different in winter and 1 ffimanlopus brasiliensis BREHM, Vog. Deutschl. 1831, 684. 148 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. summer, and young different in color from adult. (Subfamily Tringince.) c1. Bill only slightly or not at all widened at tip. d1. Hind-toe present. el. No trace of web between anterior toes. f1. Exposed culmen longer than middle toe, with claw ; inner webs of quills and under primary coverts not mottled. Tringa. (Page 152.) /2. Exposed culmen shorter than middle toe, with claw ; inner webs of quills and under primary coverts beautifully mottled Tryngites. (Page 169.) e1. Middle toe united at base to one or both of the lateral toes by a distinct web. jf1. Tail more than half as long as the wing, graduated for as much as the length of the culmen. Bartramia. (Page 168.) f2. Tail not more than half as long as the wing, and if grad- uated, the graduation not more than one-half the length of the culmen. gl. Tail longer than the exposed culmen. hl. Wing less than 4.00. (All anterior toes webbed at base.) Ereunetes. (Page 161.) A2. Wing not less than 4.00. 11. Exposed culmen less than one-fifth as long as the wing Pavoncella. (Page 168.) 12. Exposed culmen more than one-fifth as long as the wing. j1. Bill narrow at tip, where hard and smooth on top. A:1. Wing less than 4.50. Actitis. (Page 169.) A2. Wing more than 4.50. I1. Axillars uniform grayish or dusky. m1. Quills entirely dark-col- ored ; no web between inner and middle toes at base.. Heteractitis. (Page 167.) m2. Quills with a conspicuous white patch at base ; a distinct web between inner and middle toes, at base.. Symphemia. (Page 167.) SCOLOPAX. . 149 P. Axillars white, or barred with white and dusky. Totanus. (Page 164.) /*. Bill slightly widened at tip, which (at least in dried specimen) is pitted or wrinkled on top. Micropalama. (Page 152.) g*. Tail shorter than exposed culmen. hl. Terminal portion of both upper and lower man- dibles grooved medially and pitted or wrinkled (as in G-allinago) ; wing less than 7.00. Macrorhamphus. (Page 150.) A2. Terminal portion of upper and lower mandibles entirely smooth and hard ; wing more than 7.00 Limosa. (Page 162.) d\ Hind-toe absent Calidris. (Page 162.) . Tail, tail-coverts, and feathers of lower rump tipped with buffy whitish. Eggs 2.35 X 1-79- Hab. Table-lands of Mexico, and north to southern border of United States (western Texas to Arizona) ; south to Vera Cruz (temperate region). 310a. M. gallopavo mexicana (GOULD). Mexican Turkey. Tail and its coverts tipped with intensely brilliant metallic copper-bronze; ground-color of tail ash-gray ; feathers of lower back and rump rich steel- blue, those of lower parts bronzy black — all tipped with intensely rich metallic golden and coppery bronze ; greater wing-coverts brilliantly metallic copper- bronze, without, black tips. Adult male without beard-like tuft on chest, and with leg-spur longer (in older birds much longer) than hind-toe, thorn-shaped and very sharp. Size considerably less than in the more northern species. Hab. Yucatan and adjacent portions of Honduras (and Guatemala?). M. ocellata TEMM. Ocellated Turkey.1 FAMILY CRACID^E. — THE CURASSOWS AND GUANS. (Page 184.) Genera. a1. Cere wholly naked, the nostrils exposed ; tarsi entirely naked. (Subfamily Oocirnz.) b\ Bill very stout, its depth through base equal to or greater than chord of culmen, the top of the cere elevated, distinctly arched; feathers of crest recurved at tips ; throat mostly feathered. (Very large : length 2 J to 3 feet.) Crax? 62. Bill much weaker, its depth through base less than chord of culmen, the top of cere not distinctly elevated nor arched ; feathers of crest (if any) not recurved at tip ; throat naked, except a median narrow strip. c1. Larger (length about 2£ to 3 feet) ; throat with a more or less distinct median " dewlap." d1 . Sexes alike in color, brownish above, striped with whitish be- neath Penelope? 1 Meleagris ocellata TEMM., PI. Col. livr. 19, 1838, pi. 112. 2 Crax LINN., S. N. ed. 10, i. 1758, 157. Type, C. rubra LINN., = C. globicera LINN, et Acer. 3 Penelope MERREM, Aves Icon, et Descr. ii. 1786, 40. Type, Meleagris cristata LINN. 208 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. d*. Sexes unlike in color ; male uniform black, female black, vermicu- lated or irregularly barred with rufous Penelopina.1 c2. Smaller (length less than 2 feet) ; throat without median " dewlap" ; plu- mage plain, the tail with whitish or rufous tip. Ortalis. (Page 208.) a2. Cere densely covered with erect velvet-like feathers, concealing the nostrils; upper part of tarsi feathered in front and on sides. (Subfamily Oreophasince.') Male with a tubercular vertical horn on top of head Oreophasis." GENUS ORTALIS MERKEM. (Page 208, pi. LXL, fig. 2.) Species. COMMON CHARACTERS (of Mexican and Central American species). — Above plain olive-brownish or olive-grayish, the tail darker and with a distinct greenish or bluish gloss ; anterior lower parts colored like upper surface, the rest of lower parts different (chestnut-rufous, light brownish, or dull whitish). a1. Head with a conspicuous crest, the anterior feathers of which incline forward, over base of bill ; posterior lower parts and tips of tail-feathers chestnut- rufous; length about 2 feet (or more), wing 9.50-10.50, tail 11.00-12.00. Hob. "Western Mexico, north to Mazatlan. O. wagleri GRAY. Wagler's Chachalaca.8 a2. Head not conspicuously crested, all the feathers reclining backward ; posterior lower parts and tips of tail-feathers pale brownish, light ochraceous, or whitish. bl. Quills olive, or olive-grayish. c1. Wing not more than 8.50 ; feathers of neck blended ; under tail-coverts isabella-color, or buify brownish ; tip of tail varying from isabella- color to white. d1. Belly dull light brownish. el. Tip of tail white. /*. Belly pure white ; length about 16.50, wing 7.30, tail 8.00. Hob. West coast of Guatemala and Nicaragua. O. leucogastra ( GOULD). White-bellied Chachalaca.* /2. Belly dull fulvous-brown, or isabella-color. Adult: Above plain grayish olive, faintly glossed with bronzy green- ish, more dull slaty on head and neck ; tail dusky bronzy greenish, changing to dull bluish, broadly tipped with white, except middle feathers ; middle line of throat blackish ; lower parts generally dull brownish, some- what paler on middle of belly, but deepening into more decided, or more fulvous, brownish on flanks and under 1 Penelopina REICH., Tauben. 1862, 152. Type, Penelope nigra FRAS. 2 Oreophasis GRAY, Gen. B. iii. 1844, 485. Type, 0. derbianus GRAY. 8 Ortalida wagleri GRAY, List Gallin. Brit. Mus. 1867, 11. 4 Penelope leucogaoter GOULD, P. Z. S. 1843, 105. Ortalida leucogattra GRAY, List Gallin. Brit. Mus. 1867, 13. ORTALIS. 209 tail-coverts; length 19.75-24.00, wing 7.50-8.50, tail 9.00-10.50. Nest in trees or bushes, usually 4-10 feet from ground, carelessly constructed of sticks, grasses, leaves, etc. Eggs usually 3, 2.34 X 1-60, creamy white, with very hard, distinctly granulated shells. Hab. Northeastern Mexico, from Vera Cruz north to lower Bio Grande Yalley (both sides). 311. O. vetula maccalli (BAIED). Chachalaca.1 e2. Tip of tail dull buffy brown, or isabella-color ; colors generally darker than in maccalli, and -size decidedly less (length about 21.00, wing 7.70, tail 9.00). Hab. Guatemala and southern Mexico (Isthmus of Tehuantepec). O. vetula plumbeiceps GRAY. Guatemalan Chachalaca.2 d\ Belly dull whitish. Tip of tail brownish white; otherwise like maccalli, but smaller (size of plumbeiceps). Hab. Yucatan. O. vetula pallidiventris RIDGW. (subsp. nov.). Yucatan Chachalaca. c1. Wing 9.00, or more ; feathers of neck distinctly lanceolate ; under tail- coverts deep ochraceous, tip of tail pale ochraceous. A O. poliocephala WAGL. Gray-necked Chachalaca.3 62. Quills chestnut. Otherwise very similar to 0. plumbeiceps, but much browner above. O. cinereiceps GRAY. Costa Rican Chachalaca.* 1 It is possible that this may be the true 0. vetula of WAGLER (Penelope vetula WAGL., Isis, 1830, 1112), which seems to agree exactly in color with 0. maccalli ; but the size is much, smaller, the length being given as 18 inches, the tail 9.70. The locality is given as simply " Mexico," and it may be that a fourth local race, to which Wagler's name is strictly applicable, may exist in some portion of Mexico specimens from which have not come under my observation. 2 Ortalida plumbeiceps GRAY, List Gallin. Brit. Mus. 1867, 11. 8 Penelope poliocephala WAGL., Isis, 1830, 1112. Ortalida poliocephala WAGL., Isis, 1832, 1227. 4 Ortalida cinereiceps GRAY, List Gallin. Brit. Mus. 1867, 12. 27 210 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. ORDER COLUMB-^E. — THE PIGEONS. (Page 2.) Families. (Characters same as those given for the Order) .. Columbidse. (Page 210.) FAMILY COLUMBIDjSB.— THE PIGEONS OR DOVES. (Page 210.) (Nest a flat frail platform of sticks, straws, etc., usually in trees. Eggs 2, plain white or bufly white.) Genera. a1. Tarsus shorter than lateral toes. (Subfamily Columbince.) bl. Tail much shorter than wing, slightly rounded, the feathers broad and rounded, or nearly truncated, at tips Columba. (Page 211.) tf. Tail nearly as long as wing, graduated, the feathers narrow and pointed at tips Ectopistes. (Page 212.) a1. Tarsus longer than lateral toes. (Subfamily ZenaidirUK^) bl. Front of tarsus covered by transverse scutellse. c1. "Wing more than 5.00. d1. Terminal portion of outer quill abruptly narrowed. Engyptila. (Page 214.) d*. Terminal portion of outer quill not narrowed. e\ Outer webs of only second and third quills very slightly sinu- ated (sinuation scarcely perceptible). fl. Tail-feathers 12 ; tail rounded, less than three-fourths as long as wing, the feathers broad and rounded at tips. g\ Culmen longer than lateral toes, without claws ; tail nearly three-fourths as long as wing; a white patch covering larger wing-coverts. Melopelia. (Page 214.) g*. Culmen shorter than lateral toes, without claws ; tail barely more than two-thirds as long as wing ; no white patch on wing-coverts. Zenaida. (Page 213.) /*. Tail-feathers 14 ; tail graduated, usually more than three- fourths (always more than two-thirds) as long as wing, the feathers more or less narrowed at tips. Zenaidura. (Page 212.) e*. Outer webs of second to fifth quills, inclusive, distinctly sinu- ated ; tail less than two-thirds as long as wing. Geotrygon. (Page 216.) COLUMBA. 211 c2. Wing less than 4.00. d\ Tail as long as or longer than wing, lateral feathers graduated and narrowed at tips Scardafella. (Page 215.) d*. Tail much shorter than wing, rounded, the feathers broad at ends. Columbigallina. (Page 214.) 62. Front of tarsus covered with hexagonal scutellge. Otherwise like Geotrygon, but tarsi decidedly longer than middle toe, with claw Starncenas. (Page 217.) GENUS COLUMBA LINN.EUS. (Page 210, pi. LXIL, figs. 1, 2.) Species. a1. Terminal third of tail abruptly lighter in color than the basal portion, the two shades (of grayish) separated by a blackish band ; lower tail-coverts white. Above plumbeous, browner on back, more bluish on rump, the wing- coverts paler and narrowly edged with white; quills dusky. Adult male : A narrow half-collar of white across upper portion of hind-neck, the rest of the hind-neck dull metallic bronzy green ; head, fore-neck, and lower parts more or less purplish, or glaucous-vinaceous, or violet, becoming more pinkish on belly and plumbeous on sides ; bill yellow (in life) with black tip. Adult female : Similar to the male, but usually much duller in color, the white nuchal bar indistinct or even obsolete, the breast grayer, belly whitish, hind neck less metallic, and size rather less. Young : Somewhat like adult female, but feathers of upper parts narrowly and rather indistinctly margined with paler ; head and neck dull plumbeous (in male) or light grayish brown (in female), with indistinct paler tips to feathers ; no trace of white bar on nape, and lower parts dull grayish, tinged with brown on breast. Length 15.00- 16.00, wing 8.00-8.80, tail 6.00-6.50. Hab. Western United States, from Eocky Mountains to the Pacific coast, and south through Mexico to highlands of Guatemala 312. C. fasciata SAY. Band-tailed Pigeon. rt2. Tail of a uniform shade throughout ; lower tail-coverts slate-gray. b1. Neck same color all round, and entirely destitute of metallic gloss. Adult male : Head, neck, and breast purplish chocolate, or vinaceous-chestnut, the lesser and upper middle wing- coverts similar, but brighter, or less vinaceous ; back, scapulars, and tertials grayish brown or olivaceous ; rest of plumage dark plumbeous or slaty, clearest on rump and flanks, paler on under wing-coverts, darker on tail. Adult female : Similar, but rather smaller and color duller. Length 13.75-14.60, wing about 7.50- 7.80, tail 5.40-5.50. Eggs 1.47 X 1-06. Sab. Mexico and Central Amer- ica, south to Costa Eica, north to southern Texas and Lower California. 313. C. flavirostris WAGL. Red-billed Pigeon. 62. Hind-neck ornamented by a " cape" of metallic brassy or bronzy green or purplish, each feather distinctly bordered with velvety black. Adult (sexes alike): Entire top of head white or pale grayish buffy; upper 212 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. part of hind-neck dark maroon ; rest of plumage uniform dark plumbe- ous; length 12.00-14.25, wing 7.00-7.80, tail 5.50-5.80. Eggs 1.41 X 1-02. Hab. Greater Antilles, Bahamas, and Florida Keys; also, Santa Cruz, St. Bartholomew, and coast of Honduras. 314. C. leucocephala LINN. White-crowned Pigeon. GENUS ECTOPISTES SWAINSON. (Page 210, pi. LXIIL, fig. 1.) Species. Tail shading from dusky on middle feathers, through gradually lighter shades of gray, to white on outer webs of lateral pair, the inner web of each feather (except middle pair) with a transverse blackish spot preceded by one of rufous. Adult male : Head, neck, rump, and under wing-coverts uniform plumbeous ; other upper parts grayish brown, or drab, the outermost scapulars, innermost wing- coverts, and tertials spotted with black; nape and sides of neck glossed with changeable metallic reddish purple ; chest and breast deep vinaceous-rufous, pass- ing gradually into soft pinkish vinaceous on sides ; belly and under tail-coverts white. Adult female : Similar to the male, but head brownish gray, gradually paler toward throat; chest and breast grayish brown, or drab, gradually changing to pale brownish gray on sides; metallic gloss on neck less distinct; size some- what less. Young : Somewhat like adult female, but wing-coverts and scapulars, also feathers of head, neck, and chest narrowly tipped with whitish, producing a mottled appearance ; rusty margins to quills more distinct, and bordering their tips. Length 15.00-17.25, wing 8.00-8.50, tail 8.20-8.75, the female somewhat smaller. Eggs 1.47 X 1-02. Hab. Deciduous forest-region of eastern North America, west, casually, to Washington Territory and Nevada ; Cuba. 315. E. migratorius (LINN.). Passenger Pigeon. GENUS ZENAIDURA BONAPARTE. (Page 210, pi. LXIIL, fig. 2.) Species. COMMON CHARACTERS (of North and Middle American species). — Tail-feathers (except middle pair) grayish, paler at tips, and crossed by an irregular subterminai band of dusky ; upper parts plain brownish, the tertials, with adjacent wing-cov- erts or scapulars, or both, marked with a few roundish, oval, or oblong spots of black ; axillars and under wing-coverts bluish gray, or plumbeous. rt1. Secondaries not tipped with white. bl. Lower tail-coverts light creamy buff. Adult male: Occiput light bluish gray, with a glaucous "bloom"; rest of head and neck vinaceous-cinnamon, paler on throat and forehead, the chin whitish ; sides of neck glossed with changeable metallic purple; a spot of blue-black beneath ears; chest and breast delicate vinaceous, changing to creamy buff posteriorly, paler on lower tail-coverts. Adult female: Similar to the male, but head light drab, paler on throat, and whitish on chin, the occiput scarcely if at all bluish ; breast light drab, or grayish olive-brown, changing to ZENAIDA. 213 pale buify on posterior lower parts ; metallic gloss on neck less distinct, the black ear-spot smaller and duller. Young : Much duller in color than adult female, with the tints more brownish ; feathers of upper parts, head, neck, and chest, with distinct paler tips or terminal margins ; no metallic gloss on neck, or distinct black spot beneath ears. Length 11.00-13.00, wing 5.70-6.10, tail 5.70-6.50, culmen .50-.55. Nest vari- ously situated ; Eggs 1.10 X -84. Hab. Whole of temperate North Amer- ica, north to Canada, southern Maine, etc., south to Panama and West Indies 316. Z. macroura (LiNN.). Mourning Dove. b2. Lower tail-coverts cinnamon-color. Young (adult unknown) : Much darker in color than Z. macroura, the entire lower parts, including under tail- coverts, uniform deep rusty cinnamon. Wing about 6.00, tail 4.80-5.00, culmen .80. Hab. Socorro Island, western Mexico. Z. graysoni LAWK. Socorro Dove.1 Outer webs of secondaries broadly tipped with white. Adult male (female and young unknown) : Entire lower parts uniform deep vinaceous, somewhat paler on lower tail-coverts. (Plumage exactly that of paler-colored specimens of Zenaida amabilis.') Wing 6.00, tail 4.80. Hab. Yucatan (Merida). Z. yucatanensis LAWR. Yucatan Dove.2 GENUS ZENAIDA BONAPARTE. (Page 210, pi. LXIIL, fig. 3.) • Species. COMMON CHARACTERS. — Above olive-brown or russet, the tertials and adjacent wing-coverts or scapulars spotted with black ; head, neck, and breast cinnamon-color, relieved by a spot or streak of blue-black beneath ear-coverts and reflections of changeable metallic purple on sides of neck; tail-feathers (except middle pair) plumbeous or slaty, broadly tipped with a lighter shade of the same, and crossed by a subterminal band of black ; outer webs of secondaries broadly tipped with white. a1. Under tail-coverts deep cinnamon; head and neck purplish cinnamon or deep vinaceous; length 10.00-11.50, wing 6.00-6.25, tail 4.00-4.40. Eggs 1.19 X .92. Hab. Florida Keys, Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Porto Eico, Santa Cruz, Sombrero, and coast of Yucatan.. 317. Z. zenaida (BONAP.). Zenaida Dove. a2. Under tail-coverts whitish, usually slightly tinged with vinaceous or grayish ; head and neck (especially the latter) cinnamon-rufous ; a little larger than Z. zenaida. Hab. Lesser Antilles (St. Bartholomew, St. Vincent, Barbuda, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, Grenada, St. Eustatius, etc.). Z. castanea (WAGL.). Antillean Dove.3 * Zenaidura graysoni LAWR., Ann. Lye. N. Y. 1871, 17. 2 Zenaidura yucatanensis LAWR., Ann. Lye. N. Y. ix. 1869, 208. (Perhaps a hybrid between Z. macroura and Zenaida amabilie.) 3 Columba castanea WAGL., Syst. Av. 1827, 289, Columba, Sp. 77. (Z. martinicana BP. et Aucr., but not Columba martinica LINN.) 214 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. GENUS ENGYPTILA SUNDEVALL. (Page 210, pi. LXIL, fig. 3.) Species. Adult male : Above plain olive-brownish, the occiput, hind-neck, and sides of neck glossed with metallic reddish purple ; top of head bluish gray, fading into creamy white on forehead ; rest of head and neck, with lower parts, pale vinaceous, or vinaceous- white, deeper on chest and upper part of breast, the chin, belly, and under tail-coverts pure white, the sides tinged with grayish brown or olive; axillars and under wing-coverts chestnut-rufous; middle tail-feathers like back, the rest slaty black, broadly tipped with white. Adult female: Similar to the male, but colors duller, with vinaceous tints -less pronounced, and metallic gloss on hind-neck less distinct. Length about 11.50-12.50, wings 6.00-6.50, tail 4.25-4.50. Nest in vines or bushes. Eggs 1.17 X -87, dull buffy white. Hob. Mexico and Guatemala, north to lower Eio Grande Valley in Texas. 318. E. albifrons (BONAP.). White-fronted Dove. GENUS MELOPELIA BONAPARTE. (Page 210, pi. LX1V., fig. 3.) Species. Two middle tail-feathers grayish brown, the rest plumbeous or slaty, with the terminal fourth white (tinged with gray toward middle feathers), the plumbeous or slate of basal portion darker next to the lighter terminal portion; secondaries broadly edged terminally with white ; larger wing-coverts white, producing a large white longitudinal patch on wing. Adult male : Above grayish brown or drab, grayer on wings, more plumbeous on rump ; head, neck, and chest light brownish gray, more or less tinged with pale vinaceous, the occiput and hind-neck inclining to glaucous lilaceous ; sides of neck glossed with metallic golden green changing to purple ; a spot of blue-black immediately beneath ear-coverts ; other lower parts light pearl-gray, becoming whitish on lower tail-coverts. Adult female : Similar to the male, but colors duller, with little if any lilaceous or vinaceous tinge to chest, etc. Young : Similar to adult female, but colors still duller, the feathers of upper parts with paler terminal margins, and the chest with a faint rusty tinge. Length 11.00-12.25, wing 6.30-6.80, tail 4.80-5.25. Nest in bushes or low trees. Eggs 1.17 X -88, very light creamy buff or buffy white. Hab. Mexico and Central America, south to Costa Eica, north to southern border of United States (Texas to Arizona and Lower California) ; Cuba ; Jamaica. 319. M. leucoptera (LINN.). White-winged Dove. GENUS COLUMBIGALLINA BOIE. (Page 211, pi. LXIL, fig. 4.) Species. COMMON CHARACTERS. — Adult males with top of head bluish gray, or tinged with this color; rest of upper parts plain grayish brown or chestnut, the uppermost wing- coverts (sometimes scapulars also) more or less marked with steel-blue or black ; COLUMBIGALLINA. 215 inner webs of quills rufous ; tail (except middle feathers) blackish ; lower parts chiefly vinaceous. Adult females much duller, the lower parts dull light vinaceous- grayish, or light brownish. a1. Axillars and under wing-coverts chestnut-rufous. Adult male : Head, neck, and lower parts pinkish vinaceous, the feathers of the breast dusky grayish brown centrally, and those of head and neck margined with a darker shade of the ground-color; occiput and nape bluish gray, or glaucous ; upper parts in general plain grayish brown, the innermost wing-coverts (which are often vinaceous, like lower parts) marked with small spots of dark metallic violet. Adult female : Similar to male, but colors much duller, the vinaceous replaced by light brownish gray (sometimes slightly vinaceous). Young : Somewhat like adult female, but still duller, or more grayish, the feathers, especially of upper parts, narrowly margined terminally with whitish. Length 6.00- 7.00, wing 3.10-3.60, tail 2.60-2.80, exposed culmen .41-.48, tarsus .60- .66. Eggs .84 X -64. Hab. Whole of Middle America, West Indies, and northern South America ; north to southern Atlantic and Gulf States (casually to District of Columbia), Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Lower California 320. C. passerina (LiNN.). Ground Dove. a2. Axillars and most of under wing-coverts black. Adult male: Above vinaceous-chestnut, becoming bluish gray on top of head, and light vinaceous on forehead ; lower parts plain deep vinaceous, paler on chin. Adult female : Above dull brownish, sometimes tinged with rusty; lower parts plain grayish brown, or brownish gray. Wing about 3.50-3.70. Hab. Middle America and northern South America, north to Orizaba and Colima, Mexico. C. rufipennis (BONAP.). Rufous Ground Dove.1 GENUS SCARDAFELLA BONAPARTE. (Page 211, pi. LXIL, fig. 5.) Species. COMMON CHARACTERS. — Grayish brown above, each feather with a terminal border or crescentic bar of dusky ; inner web of quills, except terminal portion, rufous ; under wing-coverts partly black ; lower parts pale grayish vinaceous, pass- ing into white or buff posteriorly, marked like upper parts ; lateral tail-feathers with terminal half white, the rest black. a1. Larger wing-coverts, belly, and lower tail-coverts white ; breast distinctly squa- mated with dusky ; wing about 4.00, tail 4.00. Hab. South America (Brazil, Venezuela, eastern Ecuador, etc.). S. squamosa (TEMM.). Scaled Dove.* 1 Talpacotia rufipennis BONAP., Consp. ii. 1854, 79. * Columba squamom TEMM., Pig. et Gal. i. 1811, pi. 59. Scardafella squamosa BONAP., Consp. ii. 1854, 85. 216 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. a*. Larger wing-coverts pale brownish gray, like rest of coverts ; belly and lower tail-coverts buff; breast very indistinctly squamated; wing 3.75 or less, tail more than 4.00. Adult: Lower parts pale grayish vinaceous anteriorly (nearly white on chin), passing into buff on belly, flanks, and lower tail-coverts; chin, throat, and upper part of chest immaculate, but feathers of other por- tions tipped with blackish, these bars broadest on flanks ; upper parts, including all the wing-coverts, grayish brown, each feather tipped with a crescentic bar of blackish. Young : Similar to adult, but less pinkish beneath, and grayish brown of upper parts somewhat mottled by occa- sional whitish tips to feathers. Length about 8.00, wing 3.70-3.75, tail 4.00-4.40. Eggs .82 X -64. Hob. Mexico and Guatemala, north to southern border of United States (southern Texas to southern Arizona.) 321. S. inca (LESS.). Inca Dove. GENUS GEOTRYGON GOSSE. (Page 210, pi. LXIV., fig. 2.) Species. COMMON CHARACTERS. — Upper parts mainly uniform chestnut, the back (some- times other portions also) with more or less of metallic gloss ; lower parts plain dull whitish, ochraceous or buify, deepening into brownish or vinaceous on chest. a1. Quills rufous, on both webs, in adult (partly rufous in young) ; feathers of neck blended. bl. Belly and under tail-coverts whitish, or very pale buffy; back brilliantly metallic. Adult: Forehead and lores dull chestnut; rest of upper head with hind-neck dull metallic bronzy green, changing to purplish ; back brilliantly metallic reddish purple ; rest of upper parts mainly dull chestnut, more or less glossed with metallic purple, especially on rump and lesser wing-coverts ; a broad whitish malar stripe, extend- ing back to occiput, across ear-coverts ; beneath this a narrower and less distinct stripe of brown or chestnut ; anterior lower parts pale vinaceous, becoming whitish on chin and throat; posterior lower parts dull white, or very pale buffy ; length 10.60-11.75, wing 6.00- 6.50, tail 4.20-5.75. Hab. Haiti, Cuba, Bahamas, and Florida Keys. 322. G. martinica (GMEL.). Key West Quail-dove. b*. Belly and under tail-coverts deep ochraceous ; back not brilliantly metallic. Adult: Above deep purplish chestnut, with metallic reflections (of purplish red) only in certain lights ; chin and throat buffy whitish ; bordered along each side by a dark purplish chestnut stripe, with a buffy malar stripe above it — neither very sharply defined ; fore-neck and chest vinaceous or vinaceous-brown ; rest of lower parts deep ochraceous-buff or ochraceous. Young: Above deep sepia-brown (with an olive cast in some lights), the wing-coverts sometimes STARNCENAS. 217 mixed with rusty ; forehead, chest, etc., dull cinnamon-brown ; rest of under parts brownish buffy ; quills mainly dusky, but inner webs broadly edged with rufous, especially toward base. Wing 5.30-6.00, tail 3.10-3.60. Hab. Tropical America in general (including "West Indies), north to Cuba and eastern Mexico (Mirador). G. montana (LiNN.). Ruddy Quail-dove.1 a2. Quills entirely dusky, on both webs ; feathers of neck very distinctly outlined. Adult : Top of head slaty or plumbeous, becoming paler (sometimes whitish or pale vinaceous) on forehead ; hind-neck dull greenish bronze ; rest of upper parts nearly uniform dark chestnut, slightly glossed with violet- purple on back ; chin and throat pale buffy or buffy whitish ; chest vary- ing from dull brownish to buffy vinaceous or even grayish brown ; rest of lower parts buffy, deeper on sides and flanks; length (skin) about 9.50- 11.00, wing 5.80-6.20, tail 3.50-4.40. Hab. Guatemala and southern Mexico, north to Mirador. G. albifacies SCL. Mexican Quail-dove.2 GENUS STARNCENAS BONAPARTE. (Page 211, pi. LXIY., fig. 1.) Species. Adult: General color plain olive-brown above and dull rusty beneath, the breast sometimes with a glaucous-purplish tinge ; top of head dull cobalt-blue, bor- dered below by black ; a wide white stripe running from chin beneath eye to occiput; throat and chest black, bordered below by a semicircular line of pure white, the feathers of the upper and lateral portions of the black area tipped with blue; length 10.75-12.50, wing 5.40-5.70, tail 4.00-4.25. Hab. Cuba and Florida Keys 323. S. cyanocephala (LINN.). Blue-headed Quail-dove, 1 Columba montana LINN., S. N. ed. 10, i. 1758, 163. Geotrygon montana BONAP., Consp. ii. 1854, 72. 2 Geotrygon albifacies SCL., P. Z. S., 1858, 98. 28 218 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. ORDER RAPTORES. — BIRDS OF PREY. (Page 2.) Families. i1. Head entirely naked, or else only partially covered with down (in young) ; nos- trils longitudinal ; a distinct web between inner and middle toes, at base ; bind-toe short, elevated, the feet wholly unfit for grasping. (Suborder Sar- corhamphi.') Cathartidae. (Page 218.) z2. Head entirely feathered or only partially naked ; nostrils vertical or roundish ; no web between inner and middle toes; hind-toe well developed, with large, sharp claw, inserted at the same level with anterior toes, the feet specially adapted for grasping. 61. Eyes lateral, not surrounded by disks of radiating feathers ; cere exposed ; outer toe not reversible (except in Pandiori). (Suborder Falcones.') Falconidae. (Page 222.) 62. Eyes directed forward, surrounded by disks of radiating feathers ; cere con- cealed by loral and frontal bristle-like feathers; outer toe reversible. (Suborder Striges.') c1. Inner toe as long as middle toe ; inner edge of middle claw pectinated ; feathers on hinder part of tarsus recurved, or pointed upward ; first quill longer than third, none of the quills with inner webs sinuated or emarginated Strigidae. (Page 255.) c2. Inner toe decidedly shorter than middle toe ; inner edge of middle claw not pectinated; feathers on hinder part of tarsus (if present) pointed downward ; first quill shorter than third, and at least one (one to six) quill with inner web sinuated or emarginated. Bubonidae. (Page 255.) FAMILY CATHARTID^.— THE AMERICAN VULTURES. (Page 218.) Genera. a1. Cere decidedly shorter than the upper mandible; bill very strong,' with all its outlines decidedly convex. Adult males with a fleshy " comb" or lobe sur- mounting the top of the cere. 61. Plumage of adult commencing on the neck with a very distinct collar of white cottony down; primaries decidedly longer than secondaries; throat with a median " dewlap" ; " comb" of adult male extending from near anterior border of cere to middle of the crown; sexes very different, the female lacking entirely the "comb" or other fleshy appendages to the head; very large (wing 30.00, or more) Sarcorhamphus.1 i Sarcorhamphus DUMERIL, Zool. Anal. 1806, 32. Type, by elimination, Vultur gryphut LINN. GYPAGUS. 219 b*. Plumage commencing on neck with broad, normally developed feathers; primaries not longer than secondaries ; throat without any " dewlap" ; " comb" of adult male attached only to middle of cere, above nostril ; sexes alike; size medium (wing less than 25.00). Gypagus. (Page 219.) a2. Cere decidedly longer than upper mandible; bill comparatively weak. Adult males without fleshy " comb" or lobe surmounting cere. bl. Entire neck bare of feathers ; plumage commencing abruptly with lanceo- late or penicillate feathers, these continued over breast and belly ; head much elongated, the upper outline of the cere elevated posteriorly above the level of the flattened forehead ; very large (wing 30.00, or more). Nostril very small, occupying not more than the basal third of the nasal fossae, its anterior end acute ; bill small, the mandibles de- cidedly broader than deep, the lower as deep as the upper ; skin of head and neck smooth ; tail even.... Pseudogryphus. (Page 220.) P. Head only, or with only upper part of neck, naked ; plumage commencing gradually on upper part or middle of neck with broad, normal feathers, those of the breast and belly broad and blended; forehead elevated above the upper outline of cere ; bill stronger, with hook of upper man- dible well developed ; much smaller (wing less than 25.00). c1. Nostrils very large and broad, occupying the whole of the nasal fossse, both ends broadly rounded ; wing lengthened, the quills reaching to or beyond tip of the much rounded tail... Cathartes. (Page 220.) c2. Nostrils small and narrow, occupying only the posterior half of the nasal fossae, the anterior end pointed ; wing short, rounded, the quills scarcely reaching to the middle of the even or slightly emar- ginated tail Catharista. (Page 221.) GENUS GYPAGUS YIEILLOT. (Page 219, pi. LXIY., fig. 5.) Species. Adult : Upper neck (" ruff ") plumbeous, the feathers white at base ; tertials, secondaries, quills, greater and. primary coverts, rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail, black, the secondaries grayish exteriorly and edged with white ; rest of plumage deep vinaceous-buff or pinkish cream-color above, white beneath ; naked skin of head and upper neck very brilliantly colored in life with yellow, orange, red, blue, etc. ; iris white ; bill dull red in dried skins, said to be orange and black in life. Young : Entirely plain blackish brown, the bill and naked skin of head dusky. Length 27.00-34.00, wing 19.00-20.00, tail 9.50-10.00, culmen 1.30-1.40, tarsus 3.60-3.65, middle toe 3.00-3.30. Eggs 3.70 X 2.65, plain white. Hab. Whole of tropical America, except West Indies, north to southern Arizona ? G. papa (LiNN.). King Vulture.1 1 Vulture papa LINN., S. N. ed. 10, i. 1758, 86. Gypagua papa VIEILL., Nouv. Diet, xxxvi. 1819, 456. 220 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. GENUS PSEUDOGRYPHUS EIDQWAY. (Page 219, pi. LXIV., fig. 4.) Species. Adult: Dull black, the outer webs of greater wing-coverts and secondaries hoary grayish, the former tipped and the latter edged with white ; axillars and under wing-coverts pure white ; bill whitish or pale yellowish, and naked skin of head and neck yellowish or orange in life. Young : Similar to adult, but feathers of upper parts more distinctly bordered with brownish (producing a squamate ap- pearance), the outer webs of greater wing-coverts and secondaries dusky, and with- out any white on axillars or under wing-coverts ; bill and naked skin of head and neck dusky, the latter more or less covered with soft sooty grayish down. Downy young : Dull white, the naked skin of head and neck dull yellow. Length 44.00- 55.00 inches, extent 8J to nearly 11 feet, weight 20 to 25 pounds, wing 30.00-35.00 inches, tail 15.00-18.00, culmen 1.50, tarsus 4.40-5.00, middle toe 4.00-4.50. Nest a cavity or recess among rocks or a hollow in stump, log, or tree-trunk. Eggs 1-2, 4.46 X 2.48, elongate-ovate, plain pale dull grayish green or dull greenish white. Hob. Pacific coast of United States, north to the Columbia ; southern Utah ? (Now much reduced in numbers, and extinct in many localities where formerly abun- dant.) 324. P. californianus (SHAW). California Vulture. GENUS CATHARTES ILLIGER. (Page 219, pi. LX., fig. 2 ; pi. LXIV., figs. 6, 8.) Species. COMMON CHARACTERS. — General color black, uniform on lower parts (sometimes on upper parts also) ; bill white, and naked skin of head reddish or yellowish in adult, both dusky in young. a1. Upper portion of neck, all round, naked ; wing 20.00, or more. bl. Plumage of upper parts grayish brown, the feathers glossy blackish cen- trally, the secondaries edged with grayish or whitish ; naked skin of head (in adult) livid crimson in life. Adult : Neck and lower parts uniform dull black ; upper parts black- ish, with a greenish and violet gloss, the feathers of the back, the scapulars, and wing-coverts with margins broadly (but not abrupt!}*) light grayish brown ; edge of secondaries light grayish brown, vary- ing to light ashy ; shafts of quills and tail-feathers pale brown, vary- ing to yellowish white ; bill chalk- white ; iris grayish brown ; naked skin of head and upper neck (in life) dull livid crimson, brightening to lake-red on cere, the lores and top of head sometimes with whitish wart-like papillae. Young : Similar to adult, but bill blackish, and naked skin of head and neck livid dusky, and the brownish margins to wing-coverts, etc., less distinct. Downy young : Covered with pure white cottony down, the head, however, naked, and sallow dusky. Length 26.00-32.00, extent about 6 feet, wing 20.00-23.00 CATHARISTA. 221 inches, tail 11.00-12.00, culmen 1.00, tarsus 2.25-2.30, middle toe 2.50. Nest a cavity among rocks or in hollow of a log, stump, or tree-trunk, without additional material. Eggs 2, 2.74 X 1-89, ovate or broadly elliptical ovate, white, buffy white, or greenish white, more or less spotted or blotched with rich brown (madder or burnt-umber) and purplish gray. Hab. Nearly the whole of temper- ate and tropical America, including West Indies ; south to Falkland Islands and Patagonia, north, more or less regularly, to southern New England, New York, the Saskatchewan, and British Columbia. 325. C. aura (LINN.). Turkey Vulture. bl. Plumage of upper parts entirely uniform dull black ; naked skin of head and upper neck of adult yellow in life. Wing 20.00, tail 12.00, culmen .82, tarsus 2.50, middle toe 2.40. Hab. Amazonian region of South America (Guiana to eastern Peru). C. pernigra (SHABPE). Amazonian Turkey Vulture.1 a1. Upper part of hind-neck feathered quite to the occiput ; wing less than 20.00. Adult : Entirely uniform black (as in C. pernigra), the shafts of the quills white ; " bill and cere reddish white ; crown and lower side of head pale violet or sky-blue ; side of head, neck, and throat beautiful gray-orange;" iris red ; bill white. Immature : " Iris blackish gray ; head in very young birds reddish gray, whitish on crown and over the eye ; neck bluish, subsequent to which the head becomes reddish violet, with a whitish blue patch on the occipital region." (GuRNEY.) Downy young : " The down is light rufous ; the bill, the lower part of the face, and the cheeks, are black ; the rest of the head light rufous washed with brown ; the iris chocolate ; the feet flesh-color, with blackish scales." 2 Length about 22.00-25.00, wing 18.00-18.50, tail 8.50-9.QO, culmen .80-90, tar- sus 2.10-2.40, middle toe 2.15-2.25. Hab. Eastern tropical America (except West Indies), from Brazil to eastern Mexico (Vera Cruz) ; southern Texas? C. burrovianus CASS. Burroughs's Turkey Vulture.8 GENUS CATHARISTA YIEILLOT. (Page 219, pi. LXIY., fig. 7.) Species. Adult : Entire plumage uniform dull black, the quills grayish basally (hoary whitish on under surface), their shafts pure white ; bill dusky with yellowish or whitish tip ; naked skin of head and fore-neck duskj7. Young : Not obviously 1 (Enopa pernigra SHAKPE, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. i. 1874, 26. Cathartes pernigra RIDGW., Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, v. 1880, 83. a Professor A. Duges, of Guanajuato, Mexico, in letter. I refer somewhat doubtfully the bird which he de- scribes to C. burrovianus, for the reason that it certainly is not C. aura nor Catharista atrata, and no other species besides these and C. burrovianus is known to inhabit Mexico. Drawings sent by Professor Duge's, rep- resenting both the bird under consideration and the corresponding stage of Catharista atrata, show conclusively that, it is a true Cathartes. 3 Cathartes burrovianus CASS., Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., ii. 1845, 212. 222 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. different from the adult (?). Length 23.00-27.00 ; extent about 54.00 ; wing 16.50- 17.50, tail 7.50-8.50, culmen .90-.95, tarsus 3.00, middle toe 2.90. Nest a hollow in stump, log, or tree-trunk, or secluded spot among undergrowth of woods. Eggs 1-2, 3.09 X 2.01, ovate or broadly elliptical-ovate, similar in coloration to those of Cathartes aura, but usually more sparsely marked. Hab. Whole of tropical and warm-temperate America, south to Argentine Republic and Chili, north regularly to North Carolina and lower Mississippi Valley, irregularly or casually to Maine, New York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Dakota, etc. (Apparently wanting in western Mexico and California) 326. C. atrata (BARTR.). Black Vulture. FAMILY FALCONID^E. — VULTURES, FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. (Page 218.) Genera. a1. Outer toe not reversible ; claws graduated in size from the largest (that of hind- toe) to the smallest (that of outer toe), broader and (except in Elanus) grooved on under side. bl. Nostril not circular, nor linear and oblique, with the upper end the posterior one, nor with central bony tubercle. (Subfamily Accipitrince.') c\ Tail deeply forked Elanoides. (Page 224.) c2. Tail not deeply forked. d1. Wing not more than 18.00. el. Tarsi naked in front. fl. Front of tarsi covered with minute roundish scales ; claws not grooved beneath Elanus. (Page 224.) /*. Front of tarsus covered with large transverse scutellae; claws grooved beneath. g1. Cutting-edge of upper mandible notched. Ictinia. (Page 225.) g3. Cutting-edge of upper mandible not notched. h\ Tip of upper mandible produced into a conspicu- ous lengthened hook. Rostrhamus. (Page 225.) Aa. Tip of upper mandible not produced into a con- spicuous lengthened hook. i1. Face encircled by a "ruff" of short, stiffened, compact feathers, as in the Owls. Circus. (Page 226.) i*. Face not encircled by a ruff. y1. Tail decidedly more than two-thirds as long as wing. A'1. Depth of bill at base not decidedly less than chord of culmen ; mid- dle toe equal to or longer than FALCONID&. 223 naked portion of tarsus in front ; lores densely feathered. Accipiter. (Page 227.) A*. Depth of bill at base decidedly less than chord of culraen; middle toe much shorter than naked portion of tarsus in front ; lores nearly naked. Parabuteo. (Page 228.) f. Tail not more than two-thirds as long as wing. A;1. Primaries exceeding secondaries by less than length of naked portion 'of tarsus in front. Urubitinga. (Page 238.) A2. Primaries exceeding secondaries by much more than length of naked portion of tarsus in front. I1. Wing less than four times as long as tarsus. Asturina. (Page 239.) • P. Wing more than four times as long as tarsus. Buteo. (Page 229.) e*. Tarsi densely feathered in front and on sides, down to base of toes Archibuteo. (Page 240.) (P. Wing more than 18.00. e1. Tarsus densely feathered, all round, down to base of toes. Aquila. (Page 241.) e*. Tarsus naked, all round, for lower third, or more. /*. Wing much rounded (fifth to seventh quills longest, the first shortest), the secondaries very large and broad, reaching nearly or quite to tips of quills ; tail nearly as long as wing ; occiput conspicuously crested ; feet enormously developed Thrasaetus. (Page 242.) /*. Wing pointed (third to fifth quill longest, the first longer than ninth), the secondaries only moderately devel- oped, their ends falling far short of tips of quills ; tail less than two-thirds as long as wing; occiput not crested ; feet moderately developed. g1. Tail rounded, consisting of 12 feathers. Haliseetus. (Page 242.) g*. Tail graduated, or wedge-shaped, consisting of 14 feathers Thalassoaetus. (Page 243.) bl. Nostril small, circular, with a conspicuous central bony tubercle, or else 224 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. narrow, obliquely vertical, with the upper end the posterior one. (Sub- family Falconince.') c1. Nostril circular ; cutting-edge of upper mandible with a strong tooth- like projection, separated from the strongly hooked tip by a distinct notch Falco. (Page 244.) c2. Nostril linear, obliquely vertical, the upper end posterior to the lower ; cutting-edge of upper mandible without distinct tooth or notch. Polyborus. (Page 253.) a1. Outer toe reversible ; claws all of the same length, narrower and rounded on under side Pandion. (Page 254.) GENUS ELANOIDES GRAY. (Page 222, pi. LXV., flg. 1.) Species. Head, neck, entire lower parts (including under wing-coverts and basal half of secondaries, underneath), and band across rump, pure white ; back, wings, and tail plain polished blackish ; tertials white, with blackish tips. Adult: White of head and neck immaculate ; back, scapulars, and lesser wing-coverts with a soft velvety gloss of dark bronzy purplish, the other black portions with a glaucous or chalky cast. Young : Head and neck narrowly streaked with dusky ; the black of back, etc., less glossy, more brownish, and with greenish instead of bronzy purple reflec- tions ; quills, tail-feathers, and primary coverts narrowly bordered at tips with white. Length 19.50-25.50, wing 15.40-17.70, outer tail-feathers 12.50-14.50, cul- men 0.70-0.80, tarsus 1.00-1.30, middle toe 1.00-1.20. Nest in tops of tall trees, usually near water-courses. Eggs 2-3, 1.87 X 1-49, white or buffy white boldly spotted or blotched, chiefly round larger end, with hazel-brown, chestnut, or rich madder-brown. Sab. Tropical and warm-temperate portions of continental America, north in the interior regularly to Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, etc., along Atlantic coast casually to Pennsylvania and southern New England ; accidental in England 327. E. forficatus (LINN.). Swallow- tailed Kite. GENUS ELANUS SAVIGNT. (Page 222, pi. LXY., fig. 2.) Species. Adult : Above plain pale bluish-gray, becoming gradually white on head and tail, with a large patch of uniform deep black covering lesser wing-covert region; lower parts entirely pure white ; a black spot in front of and partly surrounding eye. Young : Somewhat like adult, but tinged with rusty, and with indistinct dusky streaks, on upper parts, the wing-feathers narrowly tipped with white ; tail with an indistinct subterminal band of dusky; breast stained, or indistinctly blotched or streaked, with yellowish rusty. Length 15.15-16.75, wing 11.50-13.30, tail 5.90-7.40, culmen .65-.80, tarsus 1.20-1.50. Nest on trees, near water. Eggs 2-3, 1.71 X 1.31, handsomely marbled or clouded with various shades of rich mad- der-brown on a paler (sometimes whitish) ground. Hob. Tropical and subtropical ICTINIA. 225 America (except "West Indies), north to South Carolina, southern Illinois (casual ?), and central California 328. E. leucurus (VIEILL.). White-tailed Kite. GENUS ICTINIA YIEILLOT. (Page 222, pi. LXV., fig. 3.) Species. COMMON CHARACTERS. — Adults : Uniform plumbeous, becoming lighter (whitish) on head and darker (blackish) on quills and tail ; inner webs of quills partly rufous. Young : Lower parts whitish, striped with brown ; upper parts varied with whitish and brown ; tail crossed by several narrow whitish bands. a1. Adult : "Wings lighter than tail, the secondaries hoary whitish ; inner webs of quills with indistinct spots of rufous, and outer webs with very indistinct stripe of the same ; tail without white markings. Young : Head, neck, and lower parts white, sometimes tinged with buff (especially on thighs), longi- tudinally spotted or striped with brown ; upper parts blackish brown, the feathers margined terminally with whitish, and with concealed spots of the same ; tail blackish, crossed by several (about three exposed) narrow bands of dusky grayish, this changing to white on inner webs ; under wing-coverts buffy, spotted with rusty. Length 13.00-15.50, wing 10.60-12.30, tail 6.00- 7.00. Nest in tops of trees, usually near rivers. Eggs 2-3, 1.63 X 1-32, white usually sparsely and very faintly marked (adventitiously stained ?) with pale brownish. Hob. More southern United States, east of Rocky Mountains, north regularly to Georgia, southern Illinois, Kansas, etc., casually, or irregu- larly, to Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Iowa ; south, through eastern Mexico, to Guatemala 329. I. mississippiensis ("Wns.). Mississippi Kite. a2. Adult : Wing concolor with the tail, the secondaries black ; inner webs of pri- maries almost wholly rufous, the outer webs with only a trace of this color ; tail with about three narrow bands of white, across inner webs. Young: Above blackish, the feathers bordered terminally with white ; head, neck, and lower parts whitish, striped with blackish. Wing 10.50-12.20, tail 5.60- 6.80. Hob. Tropical America (except West Indies), north to southern Mexico, south to Paraguay. I. plumbea (GMEL.). Plumbeous Kite.1 GENUS ROSTRHAMUS LESSON. (Page 222, pi. LXY., fig. 4.) Species. Adult : Uniform slate-color, becoming nearly black on quills and tail, the wing- coverts inclining to brownish gray, the head and neck with more or less of a glau- cous or chalky cast, the former nearly black anteriorly; tail-coverts and base of tail white ; tip of tail light grayish brown ; bill black ; cere and feet rich orange or orange-red, and iris crimson, in life. Young : Tail much as in adult. Upper parts 1 Falco plumbeus GMEL., S. N. i. 1788, 283. Ictinia plumbea VIEILL., Nouv. Diet. 1816, 24. 29 226 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. blackish brown, each feather tipped or bordered terminally with rnsty or ochra- ceous ; head and neck streaked with the same ; superciliary stripe and lower parts ochraceous (varying to buffy whitish), spotted or striped with dusky. Length 16.00-18.00, extent 44.00-46.00, wing 12.90-14.25, tail 7.20-8.50, culmen 1.00-1.10. Nest built on top of bushes or tall rank grasses in open marshes. Eggs usually 2, 1.70 X 1-43, blotched, marbled, and stained with various shades of brown on a paler (sometimes bluish white) ground-color. Hob. Whole of tropical America, except part of West Indies ; south to Argentine Eepublic and Ecuador, north to Florida and Atlantic coast of Mexico 330. R. sociabilis (YIEILL.). Everglade Kite. GENUS CIRCUS LACEPEDE. (Page 222, pi. LXVIL, fig. 1.) Species, Adult male : Head, neck, chest, and upper parts uniform light bluish gray, the occiput darker and streaked with whitish, tinged with rusty ; longer quills blackish toward tips ; upper tail- coverts plain white ; tail bluish gray, mottled with white toward base, narrowly tipped with white, crossed near end by a broad blackish band, and, anterior to this, by five to seven narrower and less distinct dusky bands ; the inner webs whitish, with the bands more distinct, and sometimes tinged with rusty ; under surface of wing (except terminal third, or more, of quills), and lower parts from breast backward, white, the larger under wing-coverts and lower parts with more or less numerous transverse (usually cordate) spots of rusty or brown. Adult female : Above dusky brown, the head and neck streaked, the lesser wing-coverts spotted, and feathers of rump edged, with rusty ; upper tail-coverts plain white ; tail brown, paler at tip, and crossed by six or seven very regular and distinct bands of blackish ; the brownish spaces becoming gradually paler and more rusty to outer feathers, which are more ochraceous ; sides of head light dull buffy, with a dusky stripe behind eye ; feathers of " facial disk" buff, each with a median streak of dark brown ; chin, throat, and lower parts generally, dull buffy whitish, varying to deeper dull buffy, striped (except on chin and throat) with brown, the stripes becoming gradually much narrower posteriorly. Young : Above blackish brown, the head and neck streaked and lesser wing-coverts spotted with deep rusty ; upper tail-coverts white, tinged more or less with ochraceous ; tail crossed by four broad bands of black, the interspaces being dark brown on middle feathers, changing gradually to ochraceous on outer feathers ; ear-coverts uniform rich dark brown ; feathers of " facial disk" dark brown, broadly edged with rufous ; lower parts rich rusty ochraceous, growing gradually paler posteriorly, the breast and sides narrowly and (usually) indistinctly streaked with darker, but elsewhere im- maculate. Downy young : Entirely pale cinnamon-buffy, tinged with grayish on back, and becoming almost white on lower parts. Length 19.50-24.00, wing 12.90- 16.00, tail 8.80-10.50, tarsus 2.85-3.25, middle toe 1.20-1.55. Nest on ground, in meadows, usually near ponds or marshes. Eggs 3-8, 1.80 X 1.41, white, or bluish white, usually plain, but often more or less spotted or blotched with pale brown. Hob. Whole of North America ; south, in winter, to Panama, Bahamas, and Cuba. 331. C. hudsonius (LINN.). Marsh Hawk. ACCI PITER. 227 f GENUS ACCIPITER BRISSON. (Page 223, pi. LXYL, figs. 1-3.) Species. COMMON CHARACTERS. — Adults uniform bluish gray above, the top of the head darker, feathers of occiput pure white beneath surface; tail crossed by several bands of blackish and narrowly tipped with white ; lower parts white, the breast, sides, and flanks barred with grayish, dusky, or rufous. Young : Dusky brown above, more or less spotted with lighter, the feathers bordered with rusty ; tail grayish brown, banded with blackish, and narrowly tipped with white ; lower parts white or buffy, striped with brown or dusky. a1. Bare portion of tarsus in front longer than middle toe ; wing less than 12.00. (Subgenus Accipiter.) b1. Tail even or slightly emarginate ; wing not more than 8.80 ; top of head in adult not conspicuously different in color from back. Adult male : Above bluish gray, the top of the head darker but not inclining to black ; sides of head light rusty, streaked with darker; breast, sides, etc., mixed vinaceous-rufous and white, in transverse spots and bars, the first with- out ashy tinge laterally; length 10.00-11.50, wing 6.10-7.10, tail 5.80-6.10, tarsus 1.90-2.05. Adult female : Similar in color to the male, but upper parts less bluish, white of lower parts less pure and rufous spotting of a less vinaceous tint; length 12.50-14.00, wing 7.80-8.80, tail 6.60-8.20, tarsus 2.00-2.25. Young: Dusky brown above, the feathers bordered with rusty and more or less mixed with white spotting (mostly con- cealed); lower parts white, often tinged with buff, striped with clear brown or dusky, the sides, flanks, and thighs transversely spotted with same. Nest very variable in situation and character, but usually in trees — often in hollows among rocks or in trees. Eggs 2-5, 1.47 X 1-16, white, greenish white, or bluish white, usually very heavily blotched with brown. Hob. Whole of North America; south, in winter, to Guatemala 332. A. velox (WiLs.). Sharp-shinned Hawk. b3. Tail decidedly rounded ; wing not less than 8.85 ; top of head in adult black, in marked contrast with bluish gray of back. Adult male : Similar in plumage to corresponding stage of A. velox, but top of head blackish, sides of head more or less washed with bluish gray, and sides of breast tinged with the same ; length 14.00-17.00, wing 8.85-9.40, tail 7.80-8.30, tarsus 2.30-2.60. Adult female : Colors duller than in male, the upper parts less bluish, the hind-neck and sides of head washed with dull rusty, top of head duller, more brownish, black, and sides of breast without ashy tinge; length 18.00-20.00, wing 10.10-11.00, tail 9.00-10.50, tarsus 2.60-2.85. Young: Similar to corresponding stage of A. velox, but rather less broadly striped beneath, with much less of transverse spotting on flanks, etc. Downy young : Uniform white. Nest usually in high trees (often a deserted crow's nest). Eggs 1.93 X 1-50, usually plain 228 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. bluish white, rarely faintly spotted with pale brownish. Hab. "Whole of temperate North America, including greater part of Mexico. 333. A. cooper! (BONAP.). Cooper's Hawk. a*. Bare portion of tibia in front shorter than middle toe ; wing more than 12.00. (Subgenus Astur LACEPEDE.) bl. Adult : Above, including whole back, clear bluish gray, or plumbeous, with blackish shaft-streaks ; top of head deep black, the feathers pure white beneath surface ; tail bluish gray, crossed by about four dusky bands, these sometimes nearly obsolete on upper surface ; lower parts white, the breast, belly, sides, and flanks thickly zigzagged or irregularly barred with slaty grayish, the feathers, especially on breast, often with dusky mesial streaks. Young : Above dusky grayish brown, more or less spotted with pale buff or whitish, the feathers margined with buff, those of head and neck edged or streaked with same ; tail light grayish brown, narrowly tipped with white, and crossed by four distinct bands of dusky, with a fifth, less strongly marked, concealed by upper coverts ; lower parts whitish, or pale buff, with distinct narrow stripes of blackish, these more tear-shaped on belly, broader and more spot-like on sides and flanks. Male: Length about 22.00, wing 12.00-13.25, tail 9.50-10.50, tarsus 2.70-3.05. Female: Length about 24.50, wing 13.50-14.25, tail 11.50-12.75, tarsus 2.70-3.05. Nest in trees. Eggs 2-3, 2.31 X 1-74, white, or glaucous-white, sometimes very faintly marked with pale brownish. Hab. Northern and eastern North America, breeding chiefly north of the United States, except in higher mountains ; west to and including Eocky Mountains, where breeding as far south as Colorado. 334. A. atricapillus (WiLS.). American Goshawk. b*. Adult : Above dark plumbeous, the back inclining to sooty blackish ; other- wise like A. atricapillus, but markings on lower parts much heavier, and darker in tint. Young : Above brownish black, this color predomi- nating largely over the lighter markings ; stripes on lower parts much broader than in A. atricapillus, and deep black, the thighs with large, often cordate, spots of the same. Eggs 2.34 X 1-79. Hab. Pacific coast, north to Sitka, and breeding southward to at least 30° in Sierra Nevada. 334a. A. atricapillus striatulus EIDGW. Western Goshawk. GENUS PARABUTEO EIDGWAY. (Page 223, pi. LXVL, fig. 4.) Species. COMMON CHARACTERS.— Wing 11.65-14.60, tail 9.00-11.00, culmen 0.82-1.10, tarsus 2.78-3.75, middle toe 1.52-2.00. Adult: Prevailing color dark chocolate- brown, or sooty, sometimes uniform, sometimes varied by whitish or ochraceous spotting; lesser wing-coverts, and tibiae, deep rufous; tail-coverts white; tail black, with white base and tip. Young : Plumage greatly variegated. Above dusky brown, the feathers edged with rusty, head and neck streaked with ochraceous ; lower parts pale ochraceous, or buffy whitish, the breast and belly with longitudinal BUTEO. 229 ovoid spots of blackish ; tibiae with transverse bars of dark rusty ; lower tail- coverts with black shaft-streaks; lesser wing-covert region merely washed with rufous ; tail grayish brown, whitish at tip, and crossed by numerous (about 19) narrow bands of dusky. a1. Adult never with the darker portions of the plumage uniform, but more or less broken, especially on lower parts, with whitish and bufly spotting and streak- ing; tibiae barred with ochraceous; wing 11.65-14.60, tail 9.00-10.50, culmen .82-1.02, tarsus 2.78-3.40, middle toe 1.52-2.00. Hab. South America, as far as Chili and the Argentine Eepublic. P. unicinctus (TEMM.). One-banded Hawk.1 a*. Adult with the darker portions of the plumage perfectly uniform ; prevailing color uniform dark sooty brown ; lesser wing-coverts, under wing-coverts, and thighs plain rich chestnut-rufous ; middle wing-coverts dusky medially, rufous on edges ; tail black, the base and a broad band at tip, white ; tail- coverts white, the upper sometimes with blackish shaft-streaks. Immature : Similar to adult, but the blackish above broken by ochraceous edgings, the head and neck thickly streaked with the same; lower parts ochraceous, striped or longitudinally spotted with dusky ; thighs narrowly barred with rusty and dark brown ; tail as in adult, but white band at tip narrower and less sharply defined, and inner webs of feathers more or less distinctly barred with dusky, grayish brown, and white.* Downy young : Above pale chestnut-buify, paler (almost dull whitish) across hind-neck ; lower parts entirely dull whitish, tinged, more or less, with dull brownish buff. Male : Length 17.50-21.00, wing 12.35-13.75, tail 9.80-10.20, culmen .90-.95, tarsus 3.15-3.20, middle toe 1.65-1.70. Female: Length 21.00-24.00, wing 14.25-14.50, tail 10.80-11.00, culmen 1.08-1.10, tarsus 3.40-3.75, middle toe 1.90-2.00. Nest on bushes or low trees. Eggs 2-3, 2.11 X 1.61, white, glaucous-white or bufly white, usu- ally more or less marked with light brownish. Hab. Middle America, north to southern border of United States (Louisiana to Lower California). 335. P. unicinctus harrisi (Auo.). Harris's Hawk. GENUS BUTEO CUVIER. (Page 223, pi. LXVIIL, figs. 2-5 ; pi. LXXIL, fig. 8.) Species. a1. Tail more than half as long as wing ; tarsus much less than half as long as tail ; c^ primaries exceeding secondaries by much less than length of tail, pr^s- Wing more than 13.50. ^ fc' fcy. Outer webs of quills without white, buffy, or ochraceous spots. d1. Four outermost quills with inner webs distinctly emarginated. 1 Falco unicinctus TEMM., PI. Col. i. 1824, pi. 313. Parabuteo unicinctus RIDGW. in B. B. & E. Hist. N. Am. B. iii. 1874, 249. 2 In this stage much resembling the adult of P. unicinctus. 230 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. e1. Middle toe decidedly longer than bare portion of tarsus in front ; length of cere on top less than depth of bill at an- terior edge of cere. /l. Outer webs of quills (in adult) plain hoary grayish, paler, or more ashy, at tips ; naked portion of tarsus, in front, 2.00. Adult : Head, neck, and lower parts white, the first streaked with dusky, these streaks more crowded across cheeks, where forming a rather distinct " mustache" ; throat very narrowly streaked, the sides, flanks, and lower part of belly (sparsely), more broadly streaked with dusky, and sides of breast with broader, somewhat wedge-shaped, markings of the same ; thighs tinged with buffy or ochraceous ; under wing-coverts white, with a large dusky patch covering anterior portion of lesser covert region ; upper parts in general dark slaty brownish, tinged here and there ashy and somewhat broken by irregular admixture of whitish, especially on scapulars and larger wing- coverts ; rump blackish ; upper tail-coverts white, tinged with rufous, and crossed by irregular, distant bars of dusky; tail mostly light rufous, but this much broken by irregular longitudinal washes and " daubs" of ashy, and darker longitu- dinal mottlings or interrupted streaks, on both webs ; crossed near end by an irregular but dis- tinct band of blackish, the tip white, and the basal portion whitish ; length about 21.50, wing 15.75, tail 9.10, culmen 1.05, tarsus 3.25, middle toe 1.70. Hob. California (Santa Clara) ; only one example known. — . B. cooperi CASS. Cooper's Henhawk. /*. Outer webs of quills grayish brown, marked with quad- rate dusky spots, producing bands; bare portion of tarsus in front less than 2.00. g1. Middle toe usually more than 1.60 (minimum 1.50, maximum 1.95) ; tail of adult usually with much of rufous, with or without darker bands ; young with tail grayish brown, crossed by nine or ten distinct narrow bands of dusky. hl. Head and neck uniform dark sooty brown or blackish, or else streaked with white (very rarely, if ever, streaked with buffy or ochra- ceous). Adult: Tail confusedly or irregu- larly mottled with grayish, rusty, white, and BUTEO. 231 dusky, either color predominating (except the last) according to the individual, crossed near end by a more or less distinct subter- minal band, and tipped with whitish ; upper parts chiefly (sometimes entirely) dark sooty brown or blackish (varying to deep black) ; lower parts varying from entirely deep sooty brown or black to pure white, but, if the lat- ter, always more or less streaked and spotted, especially across belly and on sides of breast, with dusky. Young : Tail banded with gray- ish brown and dusky, the two colors of about equal extent ; otherwise, much like adult. Male : Length 20.00-21.00, wing 14.25-16.10, tail 8.80-10.00, culmen .98-1.00, tarsus 2.75- 3.50, middle toe 1.50-1.70. Female: Length 22.00-23.50, wing 15.75-16.50, tail 9.10-10.00, culmen .98-1.10, tarsus 2.85-3.50, middle toe 1.60-1.80. Hab. Gulf States and lower Missis- sippi Valley, north, casually, to Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, east to Georgia. 338. B. harlani (AUD.). Harlan's Hawk. Feathers of head and neck more or less distinctly edged with ochraceous or rusty. Adult : Tail rufous, paler at tip, usually crossed near end by a narrow band or bar of blackish (rarely with more or less distinct narrow bands, or indications of bands, anterior to the subter- minal band) ; upper parts chiefly or entirely dusky grayish brown, sometimes irregularly broken by admixture of whitish and brownish gray ; lower parts varying from entirely pure white (usually with dusky streaks across belly) to wholly sooty blackish, with or with- out rusty on breast. Young : Tail grayish brown, varying to dull ochraceous, crossed by nine or ten well-defined narrow bands of blackish ; otherwise much like adult, but usually with much less of tawny or ochra- ceous. Male : Length about 19.00-22.50, ex- tent of wings 49.00-53.00, wing 13.50-16.50, tail 8.50-10.00, culmen .95-1.08, tarsus 2.40- 3.20, middle toe 1.60-1.70, weight 2-3 pounds. Female: Length 23.00-25.00, extent 54.00- 57.50, wing 15.25-17.75, tail 9.50-10.50, cul- 232 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. men 1.00-1.15, tarsus 3.15-3.40, middle toe 1.60-1.70, weight 3-4 pounds. Nest usually in tall trees. Eggs 2-4, 2.30, or more, X 1-80, or more, dull white or bluish white, usually more or less spotted or blotched with brown. . Tail of adult always (?) with a subterminal black bar, or else prevailing color of plu- mage white. f-. Plumage never chiefly blackish. kl. Deeper colored, with dusky and grayish brown prevailing on upper parts, the lower parts more or less buffy, especially posteriorly ; adult with tail deep rusty rufous. Eggs 2.38 X 1.81. Hob. Eastern North America, west to border of Great Plains ; occasional in eastern Mexico; Panama (casual ?). 337. B. borealis (GMEL.). Red-tailed Hawk. A2. Lighter colored, with much white en upper parts, tail pale rufous (usually without the dusky sub- terminal bar), the lower parts entirely pure white, or pale buffy only on thighs, etc., with little if any spotting across belly. Eggs 2.31 X 1-80. Hab. Great Plains, from Minnesota to Texas ; east, irregularly or casually, to Iowa and northern Illinois. 337a. B. borealis kriderii HOOPES. Krider's Hawk. j*. Plumage often chiefly blackish, some- times entirely sooty, except tail and its upper coverts. Adult : Varying, individually, from a light extreme which is scarcely distinguishable from true B. bo- realis to a uniform dark sooty brown, through every conceiva- ble intermediate plumage ; some melanistic specimens have the whole chest and breast rusty BUTEO. 233 or rufous (corresponding to the » white area of very light-colored birds), but this is wholly obliter- ated in the complete melanism. Young : Darker throughout and more heavily spotted beneath than in true B. borealis, the plu- mage sometimes wholly dusky (except the tail), as in the adult. Tail of adult always with a black subterminal bar, and frequently with several, more or less complete, ad- ditional bars. Eggs 2.31 X 1.80. Hab. Western North America, south into Mexico, east to Rocky Mountains (casually to Illinois). 3376. B. borealis calurus (CASS.). Western Red-tail. Is. Tail of adult without any black bars ; other- wise, much like B. borealis calurus. Hab. Cape St. Lucas. 337c. B. borealis lucasanus EIDQW. St. Lucas Red-tail. g*. Middle toe not more than 1.55 ; tail of adult (and young) grayish brown, sometimes slightly touched with rufous, crossed by an indefinite number (but varying from about 10 to 13) of narrow bands of dusky, which become gradually indistinct and finally obsolete toward base. Plumage exceedingly variable, but usually a mixture of sooty brown and whitish, in vari- able relative quantity; sometimes entirely dusky (except tail) and rarely almost entirely white ; length about 20.00-23.00, wing 15.50- 16.60, tail 8.80-10.00, culmen .S5-.95, tarsus 3.00-3.50, middle toe 1.40-1.55. Hab. Northern portions of eastern hemisphere ; accidental in Michigan ? 336. B. buteo (LINN.). European Buzzard. Middle toe not decidedly longer than bare portion of tarsus in front ; length of cere on top greater than depth of bill at anterior edge of cere. Plumage uniform black, or blackish brown, the feathers 30 234 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. pure white at bases ; tail grayish brown or grayish, more or less banded with black, the inner webs, how- ever, chiefly white. Adult: Tail black, crossed by three broad zones, which are ash-gray on outer webs and pure white on inner. Young : Tail dark grayish brown (the inner webs partly, sometimes entirely, white), crossed by numerous narrow, oblique bands of black. Male : Length 18.50-19.60, extent 49.50, wing 15.00-15.60, tail 8.50-9.15, culmen .73-.8S, tarsus 2.40- 2.70, middle toe 1.60-1.65. Female : Length 20.85-21.50, extent 53.10, wing 16.50-17.40, tail 9.00-10.75, culmen .90-1.00, tarsus 2.70-2.80, middle toe 1.80-1.85. Eggs 2-A, 2.19 X 1-72, dull white, usually spotted or speckled, chiefly on larger end, with umber-brown. Hab. Mid- dle America, north to southern California, Arizona, Texas, etc., south to northern South America. 340. B. abbreviatus CAB. Zone-tailed Hawk. d?. Only three outer quills with inner webs distinctly emarginated. Tail grayish brown, or brownish gray, sometimes with a hoary tinge, crossed by an indefinite number (about 9 or 10) of nar- row dusky bands, which toward base of tail become gradually indistinct and finally obsolete. Adult male, normal plumage : Above nearly uniform grayish brown; forehead, chin, and throat white, usually abruptly defined and forming a distinct patch ; chest and upper part of breast usually plain rufous or cinnamon (rarely mixed or broken with whitish) ; rest of lower parts buffy whitish, sometimes immaculate, but usually more or less barred or spotted with brownish ; length 19.50- 20.00, extent 48.00-50.50, weight 1^-2} pounds, wing 14.40- 16.00, tail 8.00-9.00, culmen .80-.90, tarsus 2.30-2.75, middle toe 1.40-1.60. Adult female, normal plumage: Similar to the male, but chest-patch grayish brown instead of rufous, or cinnamon ; length 21.00-22.00, extent 50.50-56.00, weight 2J- 3J pounds, wing 14.75-17.25, tail 9.00-10.00, culmen .80-.95, tarsus 2.50-2.90, middle toe 1.50-1.65. Melanistic phase, both sexes : "Whole plumage uniform sooty brown, the under tail- coverts sometimes spotted or barred with rusty or whitish. (NOTE. — In different individuals may be seen every possible intermediate condition of plumage between this complete melanism and the light-colored normal plumage described above.) Young: Tail as in adult; above blackish brown varied with buffy or ochraceous ; head, neck, and lower parts creamy buff (deeper in younger, paler.in older individuals), the lower parts usually more or less spotted with blackish, the head and neck streaked with same. Nest on bushes or low trees, some- BUTEO. 235 times among rocks. Eggs 2-4, 2.23 X 1-73, white, dull glau- cous white, or buffy white, usually more or less spotted with brown. Hob. "Western North America, north to Alaska and western side of Hudson's Bay, east to Wisconsin, Illinois, and Arkansas (casually to Massachusetts), and south through Mid- dle America and greater part of South America to Argentine Eepublic 242. B. swainsoni BONAP. Swainson's Hawk. >V Wing less than 13.50. c1. Middle toe longer than bare portion of tarsus in front. (Subgenus Buteola BONAPARTE.) Adult : Above sooty blackish or blackish brown, the feathers of occiput pure white beneath surface, and the frontlet usually more or less conspicuously whitish ; tail slaty grayish, varying to grayish brown, very narrowly tipped with white, and broadly banded with black, the black bands sometimes wider than the grayish interspaces, the latter 5-7 in number. Young with tail more narrowly banded, the grayish brown bands usually broadest, and 8-9 in number. d1. Lower parts black, or dark sooty brown, like the upper; young with feathers much spotted, beneath surface with white, the lower parts sometimes slightly varied with white and ochraceous, the under wing-coverts sometimes spotted with same. Male: Wing 11.20-11.70, tail 7.00- 7.30, culmen .70-.75, tarsus 2.05-2.25, middle toe 1.35-1.40. Female: Wing 11.90-13.10, tail 7.50-8.00, culmen .78-85, tarsus 2.50-2.65, middle toe 1.50-1.60. Hab. Tropical America in general, except West Indies, north to north- ern Mexico and (casually ?) southwestern Florida. — . B. fuliginosus SOL. Little Black Hawk.1 d2. Lower parts white. Adult male : Forehead, anterior portion of lores, fore-part of malar region, and lower parts gen- erally, immaculate pure white ; sides of chest with a patch of rufous or cinnamon, the feathers with dusky shaft-streaks; wing 10.50-12.00, tail 6.00-7.00, culmen .6S-.75, tarsus 2.05-2.30, middle toe 1.35-1.40. Adult female : Similar to the male, but sides of chest grayish brown instead of rusty. Wing 12.70, tail 7.20, tarsus 2.30, middle toe 1.55. Young : Above dull brownish, the scapulars, wing-coverts, etc., usually margined with buffy or light fulvous, the top and sides of head and neck streaked with same ; lower parts white, sometimes streaked with brownish, the sides of chest without brown or rusty patch. Hob. Tropical America in general (except 1 Buteo fuliginosus SCL. P. Z. S. 1858, 356. (Said to be the black phase of B. brachywus VIEILL.) 236 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. "West Indies), north to eastern Mexico and (casually?) Florida (Palatka). •344. B. brachyurus VIEILL. Short-tailed Hawk. c2. Middle toe shorter than naked portion of tarsus in front. (Subgenus Buteo, part.) Only three outer quills with inner webs emarginated. Adult: Tail blackish, crossed by 2-4 broad bands of light brownish gray or brownish white, and narrowly tipped with whitish ; upper parts nearly uniform dusky brownish, darker on back ; beneath brownish (varying to dull rufous or rusty) anteriorly, usually more or less broken by white transverse spotting ; pos- terior lower parts white, barred or transversely spotted with dull rufous. Young : Tail grayish brown, crossed by 5-7 narrow bands of dusky, and tipped with whitish ; sides of head and entire lower parts dull white, or buffy, marked longitudinally with blackish or dusky, on breast, sides, etc., the cheeks with a rather distinct " mustache" of dusky streaks. Male : Length about 13.25-15.00, wing 9.85-10.70, tail 6.50-7.00, culmen .70, tarsus 2.15-2.80, middle toe 1.20-1.38. Female: Length about 16.00-18.00, wing 11.00-11.40, tail 7.00-8.00, culmen .70-.80, tarsus 2.20-2.70. Nest in trees (often a deserted crow's nest). Eggs 2-4, 1.93 X 1-56, buffy whitish, variously spotted and blotched with brown. Sab. Eastern North America, north to New Brunswick and the Saskatchewan, west to edge of Great Plains, south (in winter only?) through Middle America and West Indies to northern South America. 343. B. latissimus (WiLs.). Broad-winged Hawk. ft2. Outer webs of primaries distinctly spotted with white, buffy, or ochraceous. Tail narrowly banded with white, buffy, or ochraceous, lesser wing- coverts more or less rusty. Adult : Head, neck, and lower parts more or less rusty, or cinnamon, the first two streaked with dusky, the posterior lower parts more or less barred or transversely spotted with whitish ; quills and tail black, the former spotted on outer webs with white, the latter crossed by about six narrow bands of and tipped with the same. 'Young : Head, neck, and lower parts buffy or dull whitish, streaked and striped or longitudinally spotted with dark brownish ; quills and tail dusky, the former extensively spotted on basal portion of outer webs with buffy or ochraceous, the latter crossed by numer- ous narrow bands of dull buffy or pale grayish brown (the more ante- rior ones more ochraceous). Downy young: Uniform dull grayish white. Nest in large or tall trees. Eggs 2-4, white, glaucous-white, buffy white, or pale brownish, variously marked (spotted, blotched, or stained) with various shades of brown. c1. Adult with head and neck distinctly rusty. d1. Adult : Eufous or rusty of anterior lower parts (chest and breast) BUTEO. 237 usually distinctly barred or transversely spotted with white. Young : Lower parts usually with whitish predominating, and basal half of outer webs of quills extensively ochraceous, buffy, or whitish. Male : Length 17.50-19.50, wing 11.25-13.50, tail 8.00-9.70, culmen .75-.90, tarsus 2.70-3.25, middle toe 1.30-1.50. Female: Length 19.00-22.00, wing 13.35-14.25, tail 9.00-10.00, culmen .80-.90, tarsus 3.10-3.20, middle toe 1.35-1.50. Eggs 2.13 X 1-69. Hab, Eastern North America, north to Nova Scotia and Canada, west to edge of Great Plains. 339. B. lineatus (&MEL.). Red-shouldered Hawk. d2. Adult : Eufous or rusty of anterior lower parts (chest and breast) usually (always ?) unbroken. Young : Lower parts with deep brownish or dusky prevailing; buffy or ochraceous spots on outer webs of quills much reduced in extent. Male: "Wing 12.00-12.50, tail 8.00-9.00, culmen .78, tarsus 2.90, middle toe 1.40-1.52. Female: Wing 13.00, tail 9.50, culmen .90, tarsus 3.00-3.12, middle toe 1.50. Eggs 2.19 X 1.71. Hab. Pacific coast of United States (and south into Mexico ?). 339&. B. lineatus elegans (CASS.). Red-breasted Hawk. c2. Adult with head and neck grayish, with little if any rufous tinge. Adult: Head and neck brownish gray, the feathers with dusky shaft-streaks ; those of occiput white, with dusky tips ; back and scapulars dull ash-gray, the feathers with large terminal or sub- terminal spots of dusky (occupying most of exposed portion of each feather) ; lower parts (including breast) barred with white and pale ochrey rufous. Young : Similar to corresponding stage of B. lineatus, but smaller and darker in color. Wing 10.90-12.75, tail 7.70-8.50, culmen .80-.90, tarsus 2.90-3.20, middle toe 1.25-1.45. Hab. Florida 339a. B. lineatus alleni EIDGW. Florida Red-shouldered Hawk, a2. Tail less than half as long as wing; tarsus about half as long as tail ; primaries exceeding secondaries by nearly the length of the tail. (Subgenus Tachy- triorchis KAUP.1) Only three outer quills with inner webs distinctly emarginated. Adult male : Above (except rump) plain bluish gray (varying to slaty or even dusky), the anterior lesser wing-coverts rufous, the longer scapulars much tinged with the same ; tail white, crossed near end by a broad band of black, anterior to which are numerous narrow bars or lines of slate-gray or plumbeous, or dusky ; rump and lower parts pure white, the throat sometimes dusky or grayish ; flanks, rump, and under wing- coverts usually faintly barred with ashy, dusky, or rufous. Adult female : Similar to adult male, but rufous patch on lesser wing-coverts more 1 TachytriorcMs KATTP, Class. S'aug. u. Vbg. 1844, 123. Type, Falco pterocles TEMM., = /T. albicaudatua VIEILL. 238 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. extended, and colors generally darker. Young: Tail hoary grayish, growing gradually darker terminally, passing narrowly into dull whitish or rusty at tip, and crossed by numerous narrow and very indistinct bars of darker, these becoming gradually obsolete toward base of tail ; gen- eral color of plumage brownish black, the lower parts more or less varied with whitish, buffy, or ochraceous. Downy young : Upper half of head dark sooty brown, becoming nearly black around eyes ; hind-neck, upper back, and wings lighter sooty brown, fading gradually into dull brownish buff on posterior upper parts and buffy whitish on lower parts. Male : Wing 14.50-16.75, tail 7.50-9.00, tarsus 3.30-3.60, middle toe 1.55-1.80. Female: Wing 17.00-17.75, tail 8.25-10.30, culmen .95-1.05, tarsus 3.30- 3.70, middle toe 1.60-1.80. Nest on low trees or bushes (usually a yucca). Eggs 2-4, 2.37 X 1-89, white, more or less blotched with reddish brown. Hob. Whole of Middle America, north to southern Texas ; por- tions of eastern South America. 341. B. albicaudatus VIEILL. White-tailed Hawk, GENUS URUBITINGA LESSON. (Page 223, pi. LXX., fig. 2.) Species. COMMON CHARACTERS. — Adults, uniform plumbeous-black, the upper tail-cov- erts, band across tip of tail, and other white bands on tail, pure white. Young : Above varied with blackish brown and ochraceous, the former prevailing ; lower parts ochraceous or pale buffy, striped with dusky, the thighs barred with the same ; tail crossed by numerous narrow bands of blackish and light grayish, mixed with white. a1. Tarsus 4.30 or more ; upper tail-coverts in adult plain white. bl. Tail, of adult, with only two to three white bands, the broadest one more than 2.50 (2.60-4.50) wide ; thighs often without white bars, these when present never (?) conspicuous ; under wing-coverts destitute of white markings, or else merely speckled with white; wing 16.50-18.00, tail 11.75-12.00, culmen 1.30, tarsus 4.90-5.00, middle toe 1.90-2.10. Hab. Tropical America, north to Costa Rica (and Nicaragua ?), south to Chili, Paraguay, and the Argentine Republic. U. urubitinga (GMEL.). Brazilian Urubitinga.1 b2. Tail, of adult, with three to four (usually three) white bands, the broadest one not more (usually much less) than 2.00 (1.20-2.00) wide; thighs always marked (usually conspicuously barred) with white ; under wing- coverts always (?) barred or speckled with white; wing 15.15-16.50, tail 10.50-11.50, culmen 1.10-1.35, tarsus 4.30-4.85, middle toe 1.60-1.90. Hab. Guatemala and southern Mexico, north to Yera Cruz, Tehuante- pec, and Mazatlan. U. ridgwayi GTTRNHY. Mexican Urubitinga.2 1 Falco urubitinga GMEL., S. N. i. 1788, 265. Falco zonurus SHAW, Gen. Zool. vii. 1809, 62. Urubitinga zonura SCL., Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1858, 262. 2 Urubitinga zonura ft. ? RIDGW., Bull. U. S. Geol. & Geog. Surv. Terr. ii. No. 2, 1876, 169. Urubitinga ridgwayi GURNEY, List Diurn. B. Prey, 1884, 77, 148. ASTVRINA. 239 a?. Tarsus 3.50 or less ; upper tail-coverts in adult black barred or tipped with white. Adult : Uniform black, with a chalky or glaucous cast in certain lights ; upper tail-coverts narrowly tipped with white ; tail black, the tip and base white, and crossed at about the middle by a broad band of white of variable width. Young : Above brownish black, varied by ochraceous or rusty edgings and spots ; head, neck, and lower^parts pale ochraceous, striped with brownish black ; thighs barred with the same ; tail crossed by about seven narrow oblique bands of black and whitish, of variable relative width. Downy young : " Covered with dense woolly down, nearly white on head and breast, passing into grayish posteriorly upon the head, throat, sides of breast, tibiae, and back." (MEARNS.) Male: Length about 21.50, wing 13.15-14.90, tail 7.90-9.75, culmen 1.00-1.05, tarsus 3.20-3.40, middle toe 1.60-1.70. Female: Length about 22.50, wing 14.25-16.00, tail 9.25-11.00, culmen 1.05-1.10, tarsus 3.00-3.50, middle toe 1.65-1.80. Nest in large trees. Eggs 2-3, 2.10 X 1-75, plain white. Sab. Tropical America in general, north to southern Arizona. 345. U. anthracina (LIGHT.). Mexican Black Hawk. GENUS ASTURINA YIEILLOT. (Page 223, pi. LXYIIL, fig. 1.) Species. a1. Adult with upper parts very indistinctly barred, or almost uniform. Young, with thighs distinctly barred with dusky, and lighter tail-bands grayish brown. Adult: Above deep ash-gray, the top of head and hind-neck with fine blackish shaft-streaks, the wing-coverts with indistinct paler bars ; upper tail-coverts plain white ; tail black, tipped with grayish or white, and crossed by two to three narrow bands of white, the anterior one nar- rower and more or less interrupted ; quills black, margined at tips with whitish ; lower parts white, everywhere, except on lower tail-coverts, very regularly barred with deep cinereous, these bars narrower, and the white interspaces correspond ingly wider, on flanks and abdomen. Young : Above dark brown, the head and neck streaked, the middle wing-coverts and greater portion of outer webs of scapulars irregularly spotted, with ochraceous or buffy (usually of a pinkish cast) ; upper-tail-coverts white, marked near tips with one or two small spots of dusky ; tail grayish brown, tipped with paler (the extreme tip usually whitish), and crossed by six or seven narrow bands of black, these becoming gradually, but decidedly, smaller toward the base ; lower parts white, more or less tinged (especially on sides and under wing-coverts) with pinkish buff, the breast, belly, and sides with large tear-shaped or wedge-shaped stripes or longitudinal spots of blackish, the thighs narrowly barred with the same. Length about 16.00-18.00, wing 9.50-11.70, tail 6.70- 8.20, culmen .75-1.00, tarsus 2.50-2.85, middle toe 1.35-1.75. Nest in trees. Eggs 2-3, 1.99 X 1-59, white, usually very faintly and sparsely 240 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. (adventitiously?) stained with pale brownish. Hab. Middle America, south to Panama, north to southern border of United States, straggling as far as southern Illinois. 346. A. plagiata SCHLEG. Mexican Goshawk. a*. Adult with upper parts (including head and neck) very distinctly barred with grayish white. Young with thighs plain white or buffy, and lighter tail-bands whitish. A. nitida (LATH.). South American Goshawk.1 GENUS ARCHIBUTEO BREHM. (Page 223, pi. LXLX., fig. 1.) Species. a1. Bill small and weak, the width of gape (from corner to corner of mouth) only 1.35-1.45. Adult, normal phase: Head and neck whitish, streaked with dusky; rest of upper parts irregularly varied with white, grayish, and dusky (the lighter tints predominating), usually mixed, more or less, with rusty or ochraceous ; rump with dusky prevailing ; upper tail-coverts and basal portion of tail (more or less extensively — sometimes for more than half its length) white ; terminal portion of tail crossed by a broad subter- minal band of grayish or dusky, and, anterior to this, usually by several narrower, irregular, or sometimes broken bands ; quills dusky grayish, more or less distinctly banded with darker, their inner webs, however, immaculate anterior to their emargination ; lower parts chiefly whitish, but this spotted or otherwise varied, chiefly on breast, by dusky, the thighs sometimes tinged with ochraceous or rusty. Young, normal phase : Yery much like adult, but terminal or subterminal portion of tail plain grayish brown, the basal portion plain whitish ; lower parts whitish or buify, crossed over belly, flanks, and anal region by a very broad belt or transverse area of uniform deep brownish or dusky. Downy young : Plain grayish white. Male : Length about 19.50-22.00, wing 15.75-16.80, tail 9.00-10.00. Female: Length about 21.50-23.50, wing 16.15-18.00, tail 9.00-11.00. 61. Averaging lighter in color, with less (often with none) of ochraceous or rusty ; rarely melanistic. Hab. Northern portions of eastern hemisphere. A. lagopus (BRtJNN.) . Rough-legged Hawk.2 6*. Averaging darker in color, with more of ochraceous or rusty; fre- quently melanistic, some specimens being entirely deep black, with the exception of forehead, inner webs of quills (anterior to emar- ginations), and more or less distinct, usually broken, narrow bands across basal portion of tail, which are whitish. (NOTE. — This 1 Falco nitidus LATH., Index Orn. i. 1790, 40. Atturina nitida BOHAP., Consp. i. 1850, 30. 1 So far as evidence to date tends to show, the typical form of this species, if a distinctively American race be recognized, mast be expunged from the list of North American birds. AqUILA. 241 condition affects both old and young, and is connected with the normal plumage by a series of specimens possessing, in every pos- sible degree, intermediate characters.) Nest variously situated. Eggs 2-3, 2.31 X 1-74, white, buffy white, or pale buffy, usually more or less marked (sprinkled, spotted, or blotched) with brown. Hab. "Whole of North America, breeding chiefly north of United States 347