_Buteo elegans_, CASS. P. A. N. S. 1855, 281.—IB. B. N. Am. 1858,
28, plate.—HEERM. P. R. Rep. II, 32.—KENNERLY, P. R. Rep. III,
19.—NEWB. VII, 75.—COOP. & SUCKL. XII, ii, 147.—STRICKL. Orn. Syn. I,
38.—? DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 325 (Texas).—COUES, P. A. N. S. 1866, 9
(Arizona).—GRAY, Hand List, I, 7.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1870, 477.
SP. CHAR. _Adult male_ (10,573, Ft. Tejon, California, “Oct. 22,
1857”; J. Xantus). Head, neck, interscapulars, anterior scapulars,
lesser wing-coverts, lining of the wing, and entire lower parts, dark
lateritious-rufous, inclining to chestnut on the shoulders. The upper
parts so colored have each feathers with a medial-ovate space of dull
black, giving a striped appearance; the lesser wing-coverts, however,
have each only a narrow shaft-line of black, these growing larger as
they approach the middle coverts. There is a strong black suffusion
over the cheeks, forming an obscure “mustache”; orbit blackish,
throat streaked with the same. The dark lateritious-rufous of the
jugulum and breast is perfectly continuous and uniform, varied only
by the obsoletely darker shafts of the feathers; sides and flanks
transversely barred with white; lining of the wing, and tibiæ, with very
ill-defined bars of paler rufous; anal region and lower tail-coverts
with broader and more sharply defined bars of the same. Scapulars and
middle wing-coverts brownish-black, narrowly tipped, and irregularly
spotted transversely, with pure white; secondaries and greater coverts
brownish-black, tinged with rufous, and broadly tipped and crossed, with
sharply defined bands of pure white, of which there are on secondaries
about six exposed (including the terminal band); primaries and their
coverts deep black (tinged anterior to their emargination with rufous),
tipped with pure white, and having spots of white on outer webs. Rump
and upper tail-coverts brownish-black, with indistinct transverse
bands of white, the latter sharply tipped with the same. Tail clear
brownish-black sharply tipped with white, and with about five sharply
defined bands of the same, about .30 of an inch in width. Under surface
of secondaries and primaries white to near the ends, where they are
black; the tips, however, again white; the white portion crossed by
regular transverse bands, those where the white is purest being light
rufous, but as the white shades toward the black they become dusky; the
rufous bars are, however, bordered with dusky. Fifth quill longest;
third and fourth longer than sixth; second a little shorter than sixth;
first intermediate between ninth and tenth. Wing, 12.50; tail, 8.00;
tarsus, 2.90; middle toe, 1.40.
_Young._ Predominating color, blackish-brown; this existing on under
parts in large, confluent sagittate spots, which are longitudinal on
throat and jugulum, and more transverse on sides, abdomen, tibiæ,
and lower tail-coverts, the ground-color of lower parts being dull
ochraceous. The head and neck, all around, presenting a uniform,
streaked appearance, the edges of the feathers being ochraceous, but
the black far exceeding this in amount. Interscapulars and scapulars
bordered with rusty rufous; wing-coverts more broadly bordered with
ochraceous, and with much concealed dull white spotting; lesser
wing-coverts, with a strong wash of rich dark rufous; secondaries tipped
with white, and crossed by two or three (exposed) broad bands of dull
ashy; primaries brownish-black, narrowly tipped with white, and with
ill-defined restricted spots of the same on outer webs. Rump uniform
blackish-brown, feathers faintly bordered with rusty; upper tail-coverts
tipped and barred with white. Tail brownish-black tipped with white, and
crossed with five narrow bands of dull light ashy. Lining of wing dull,
dingy ochraceous, with numerous transverse bars of brown; fourth quill
longest; third shorter than fifth; second longer than sixth; first equal
to ninth. Wing (male, 10,572, Fort Tejon), 12.00; tail, 8.40; tarsus,
2.82; middle toe, 1.35. Female (4,520, Santa Clara, Cal.; Dr. Cooper),
wing, 13.00; tail, 9.00; tarsus, 2.90; middle toe, 1.52.
HAB. Pacific, and southern portion of the middle Provinces of the United
States; Mexico.
Localities quoted: Texas (San Antonio, winter), (DRESSER, Ibis, 1865,
325); Arizona (Coues, P. A. N. S. 1866, 9); city of Mexico (SCL. & SALV.
P. Z. S. 1869, 364).