_Falco pennsylvanicus_, WILS. Am. Orn. VI, 92, pl. liv, f. 1,
1812.—LATH. Gen. Hist. I, 263, 1821.—AUD. B. Am. pl. xci, 1831;
Orn. Biog. I, 461, 1831.—BONAP. Ann. Lyc. N. Y. II, 29, 434; Isis,
p. 1137, 1832.—NUTT. Man. I, 105, 1833.—TEMM. Pl. Col. 67, 1836.
_Buteo pennsylvanicus_, BONAP. Ois. Cuv. Règ. An. p. 35, 1830; Eur.
& N. Am. B. p. 3, 1838; Consp. Av. p. 19, 1850.—AUD. Syn. p. 7,
1839.—BREW. (WILS). Am. Orn. Syn. p. 648, 1852.—GRAY, Gen. sp. 8,
1844; List B. Brit. Mus. p. 16, 1844.—CASS. B. Cal. & Tex. Syn. p.
100, 1854.—STRICKL. Orn. Syn. I, 32, 1855.—DE KAY, Zoöl. N. Y. II, 11,
pl. v, fig. 11, 1844.—CASS. Birds N. Am. 29, 1858.—GRAY, Hand List,
B. 7, 1869.—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 325 (Texas). _Astur pennsylvanicus_,
CUV. Règ. An. (ed. 2), I, 332, 1829.—JAMES. (WILS.) Orn. I, 65.
_Falco latissimus_, WILS. Am. Orn. (last ed.) VI, 92, pl. liv, f.
1, 1812. _A. ? latissimus_, JARD. (WILS.) Am. Orn. II, 294. _Falco
wilsoni_, BONAP. Obs. Wils. Nouv. Journ. Ac. Sc. N. Y. III, 348.
_Pœcilopternis wilsoni_, KAUP, Mon. Fal. Cont. Orn. p. 75, 1850.
_Sparvius platypterus_, VIEILL. Enc. Méth. III, 1273 (quot. Wils. pl.
liv, fig. 1), 1823.
SP. CHAR. _Adult._ Upper surface dark umber-brown, the feathers
gradually paler toward edges; on the back, the feathers more uniformly
dusky, causing a prevalent blackish appearance. Rump and upper
tail-coverts blackish vandyke-brown; the latter tipped with pure white,
and with a concealed bar of same, about the middle of each feather. Tail
dull black, with an obscure terminal band of dull brown, this fading
terminally into whitish; across the middle of the tail a broad band of
dull light umber (in some individuals approaching dull white) about ¾
of an inch in width; about as far anterior to the main band as this
is from the tip is another much narrower and more obscure band of the
same color, crossing just beyond the ends of the coverts, or concealed
by them. Primaries uniform brownish-black, fading on terminal edge
into pale brown. Head above, and broad but inconspicuous “mustache,”
running from beneath the lore downward across the cheek, dull black;
the crown posteriorly, with the occiput and nape, having the dull black
much broken, caused by the lateral streaks of dull rufous on all the
feathers; this dull rufous tint prevails on the rest of the head and
neck, as well as the breast, leaving the lores and chin and lateral
portion of frontlet alone whitish; throat streaked with blackish.
Beneath dull brownish-rufous; that of the breast almost unvaried;
medially, however, are roundish spots of white on opposite webs, but
these are not confluent; posteriorly these spots become gradually more
numerous and more transverse, forming on the flanks transverse bands,
almost continuous; on the tibiæ the white prevails, the rufous bars
being more distant, and connected only by a brown shaft-line; lower
tail-coverts less numerous, transverse spots of dull rufous. Lining
of the wing ochraceous-white, with sparse, rather small, irregularly
deltoid spots of dull rufous; under surface of the primaries unvaried
white, as far as their emargination, beyond which they are black. Fourth
quill longest; third a little shorter; second intermediate between fifth
and sixth; first about equal to the ninth. _Female_ (extremes 30,969,
Brookline, Mass., and 30,895, Mirador, Mexico; the latter the larger.)
Wing, 11.00–11.30; tail, 6.80–7.10; tarsus, 2.30; middle toe, 1.30.
_Male_ (32,309, Moose Factory, Hudson’s Bay Territory). Wing, 10.50;
tail, 6.30; tarsus, 2.30; middle toe, 1.20.
_Young male_, second year? (39,106, Remedios, Cuba, June; N. H. Bishop).
Upper parts similar to adult, but a reddish tint appreciably washing
the edges of the interscapulars and (less noticeably so) the scapulars.
Bands on tail nearly as in adult; but very near the base is a fourth,
very narrow and faintly defined, pale band, while the bases of all
the feathers are much mottled with white. Dull rufous of the breast
not continuous, but in the form of large longitudinal broad spots,
occupying the greater middle portion of each feather; abdomen, sides,
and tibiæ with smaller and more cordate spots of dull rufous; the lower
tail-coverts immaculate; the decided ochraceous tinge beneath, deepest
posteriorly.
_Young_, first year (11,984, Washington, D. C.). The blackish above
is much variegated, being broken by the narrow rusty borders to
interscapulars, rump, and lesser wing-coverts; the broader and more
ochraceous borders to scapulars and greater wing-coverts, and partially
concealed whitish spotting on the former. Upper tail-coverts white, with
broad bars of blackish-brown; secondaries and primaries edged terminally
with whitish. Tail dull umber-brown, growing darker terminally; narrowly
tipped with white, and crossed with six obscure, narrow bands of dusky,
the (concealed) bases of all the feathers white. Superciliary region,
cheeks, chin, throat, and entire lower parts, delicate pale ochraceous,
or whitish cream-color; a conspicuous “mustache,” a medial longitudinal
series of streaks on the throat, with large longitudinal ovate spots on
sides of breast, cordate spots on sides and flanks, and sagittate spots
on tibiæ, clear blackish-brown. The ochraceous deepest on the abdomen
and crissum. Wing beneath as in adult.
A very young bird, scarcely fledged (33,598, Milltown, Me.; G. A.
Boardman), differs from the last in a much more continuous black shade
above, the deeper ochraceous beneath, and larger, as well as more
numerous, blackish spots beneath.
In the adult plumage of this species, the principal variation is in the
continuity or distinctness of the anterior light band on the tail, and
the extent and depth of shade of the brown beneath. The first feature
is characteristic of most specimens, only one (55,980, ♂, Costa Rica)
being without it; it is broadest and most conspicuous, as well as less
concealed by the coverts, in the females, and this appears to be the
principal sexual difference. The dull brownish-rufous of the under
parts is most prevalent in a specimen from Mirador, Mexico (30,895, ♀
? September; Dr. Sartorius), in which specimen the breast is almost
continuously of this color, and the lower tail-coverts are strongly
barred (or transversely spotted) with the same; the ground-color beneath
is also more ochraceous than in any other individual. In the Costa-Rican
specimen (the one lacking the anterior tail-band), the brown beneath
is quite different from that of the others, being of a much more ashy
shade; the lower tail-coverts are also immaculate. The brown markings
beneath are most sparse in 20,389, from Coban, Vera Paz (January; O.
Salvin); in this, also, the tail-bands are very distinct, and almost
white.
A young bird from Costa Rica (30,412; Dr. Frantzius) is exactly similar
to No. 27,048, from Fort Garry, Selkirk Settlement.