404 MARSH HAWK.
anterior part of the breast are also greyish-bine § the middle of the
breast and the sides white, tinged with bine, the feathers having their
shafts dusky, and some very faint indications of bars ; those of the
legs, the lower wing-coverts, and lower and upper tail-coverts, pure
white. The seven outer primaries are black, tipped with pale brown.,
at the base white, and on the outer edge tinged with grey ; the rest
and the secondaries of the general colour, but with more or less brown
towards the end, their inner webs white* and obscurely barred with
dark grey. The two middle tail-feathers are of a lighter tint than
the back, and the colour on the óuter webs of the rest gradually fades
into white ; the inner webs of all but the two middle more or less
white, with eight irregular narrow bars of darkish grey.
Length to end of tail 19f inches, to end of wings 16|, to end of
4
3 ; tail 81V; bill
claws extent of wings 44 ; wing from flexure 14T
8g ;
along the ridge along the edge of lower mandible ; tarsus 2x
hind toe fy, its claw j j ; middle toe 1 | | , its claw J|> Weight 16 oz.
Adult Female. Plate CC'CLVI. Fig. 2.
The female is larger than the male, and differs extremely in the
colours of the plumage, although those of the bare parts are the same.
The general colour of the upper parts is umber-brown, of the lower
light yellowish-red. The upper part of the head is deep brown, the
feathers edged with light yellowish-red ; the anterior part of the forehead,
a band over the eye, and the loral space, pale greyish-yellow,
the bristle-tips of the latter black. The cheek feathers are dull
brown, slightly edged with yellowish-red ; the ruff feathers light yellowish
red, with á narrow brown central band. The upper hind part,
sides, and fore part of the neck, thè breast and sides, are light reddishyellow,
each feather with an oblong-lanceolate umber-brown mark.
Some of the hypochondriál feathers have four light spots ; the central
part of the outer tibial feathers is light brownish-red ; the feathers of
the middle of the breast, the abdomen, and the lower tail-coverts, are
of a uniform light yellowish-red. On some of the scapulars, as well as
many of the wing-coverts, are one or two round light red or whitish
spots ; and the bases of the occipital feathers are white. The primary
and secondary quills are of the same colour as the back, slightly edged
with paler, the greater part of the inner webs whitish, the primaries
with broad bands of deeper brown. Upper tail-coverts white. Tail
M A R S H HAWK. 405
light greyish-brown, white at the base, with six broad bands of deep
brown on the middle feathers, four on the lateral, the last band much
larger, the tips brownish or reddish white, the inner webs, excepting
the two middle feathers, reddish-grey or whitish, the shafts light
brown. Lower wing-^coverts reddish-white, with central lanceolate
brown markings ; lower surface of primary quills greyish-white, with
very conspicuous broad blackish-brown bands ; tail reddish-grey beneath,
with the dark bands more distinct.
Length to end of tail 20£ inches, to end of wings 18f, to end of
claws 15f ; extent of wings 46§ ; wing from flexure 15£ ; tail ;f|§ ; bill
along the ridge along the edge of lower mandible 31^% ; tarsus §pi ;
hind toe its claw ; middle toe its claw
Young folly fledged. Plate CCCLVI. Fig. &
The young of both sexes when fully fledged, resemble the adult
female, but have the colours of a richer or deeper tint ; all the lower
parts with an elongated brown streak on each feather ; the upper tailcoverts
white, with a lanceolate reddish-brown spot.
After the first moult, the male still resembles the adult female.
At least, such is the case with a specimen presented to me by Dr
RICHARDSON, and marked " Buteo ( Circus) cya/neus. Spec. N. 6.
Male,.. May 31. 1826. Fort Franklin," being the one elaborately described
at p. 63 of the second volume of the Fawna Boreali-Americana.
In this specimen the? colours are much faded, and the feathers worn, the
upper tail-coverts in particular being reduced almost to the shafts. It is
valuable as indicating by two feathers on the leg, which are new, the
next state of plumage of the male, which is as follows :—
The upper part of the head and the hind neck are light brownishred,
with dusky streaks, the white of the nuchal feathers conspicuous.
The upper parts are brown, with a tinge of grey, more apparent on
the wings, the scapulars and some of the smaller wing-coverts still
marked as in the young and females ; the upper tail-coverts pure
whit©;. the tail-feathers grey, with a tinge of brOwn, the lateral reddish
grey ; the dark bars much diminished in breadth, and the inner
webs still tinged with yellowish-red. The ruff is brownish-grey, margined
with reddish-white ; the fore part of the neck and breast pale
brownish-red, tinged with grey, each feather marginally spotted or