40.6 MARSH HAWK.
0.11f««) with dull white.* Tho rest of tho.'Jowcr parts are white, tlic
leathers geiiornllv with several spots .of light rodftxlong Site1 centre;
tlu'se spots, a'suming-th» appearand! of transverse liars on the [si^ie's
and legs; the 'smaller wing coverts arc similarly spotted, but those
neat thy edge- have only u dusky streak, and tho'secondary. cincrts arc
barred with dusky, • The inner webs ol' the quills toward the base are
white, with narrow bars of brownish-black, and the cstrc.uiif.ies of the
primaries are as in the adult.
After a, very careful comparison of sf.vcn skinsiof..American birds
with an equal number of European, no cssentiai diieremGes can be ohseyy,
ed, I am thergfwa compelled to conclude, that the Marsh Hawk
of America is the Hen-Harrier eft Europe. The following measurements
are obtained from a comparison of eight individuals.
,'.«Mi.:: life» -iiflKfi • M. M a . .
1.ength to. end of tail, B)J •!,(!£ 18 1.8} 20J 20.} 21 2J-. ;
3 % - : mi. 1 8 | 184 10
Kxtont of wings, . 44 iSfe-.- -46} 45f € f î U
Wing from flexure, . 13 a a j 13 •l.v 14,», m 15*
« ì l i , ; . ' -, ,<! • v,' /•>;-.:; : iSj^i 9 « l ì 9 à -J0K'.
Bill along the ridge, .
TarsùsV flit's •2A «•m, Q 2 OS.
• m
Hindi'toèj ---' " ft •:I7 J2 12 » -Vlfcs . | 9 T9?
Its claw, . 10J
'Ta' TS 9 i l f ^ J p i T11f
Miildfe fcS;,-^ ' » - " 'I,;-- a * - H u- m ; M l A
Its -claw, 1
J Ï 1. Mi 10 81
-
tIîC' I
Anterior tarsal scutella, 17 18 1
• •JÉî » 17!
Simtella on first toe, .if. '-' 5
— . . . . - . . second, - . -1; ' - S 0 # #
. .. .-.. .*-.;: third', - I f I f ; .- 15 16 lfi'-i- 17 S
i •S'k' i H 9
measurements of this kind are calculated to throw-1 igh.t on the
subject, tho collectors of skins arc welcymo to the above, which have
been made with as much accuracy as, possible.
A.® adult male, examined. ()n the rmif of' the moyth are tw;o lateral
.a.»rl «me d i a n prominent ridgo, the intervomng space covered. with
MARSH HAWK. 407
small papillae; The posterior aperture of the nares is oblong, 4 twelfths
of an inch in length, but with ail anterior slit 7£ twelfths long. The
tongue, (7, iff 8 i twe l i tMl « i g , fleshy eiflargimste amdl papillateat the base,
concave above, rounded and slightly emarginate at tho tip. The mouth
is I inch in breadth. The oeMjlHagM,: dt M de, M hicli is 6 inches long, is very
wide, with very thin pariotcs, and on the lower part of the neck is dilated
into a sac or crop, ft c, which on being distended has a diameter of
' S inches at the widest part, St them, contractu to 10 twelfths: as it enter
« the thorax ; its proventricular portion, d e, has a diameter of 1 inch.
The stomach, «/^,,i»r®Hndi«h» l i iOBb i® diameter,.somewhat compressed;
its muscular ('.oat extremely thin, being reduced, to small parallel fasciculi
converging toward' .two.1 tendinous-*
spaces aif elilSptieall form, - and about
half, an inch long. Tho'imestine, y/t, is 3 life,
feet) 2 inches Iiin'g. J its diameter at the.
upper pstrt 3'tweliSiS',. towards the- cceca 2 ja g g M
twelfths The rectum, js^inches long,' jMl g S j f
n'ot including the' cloaca,/, which is- glo- j ^ H B
bu-laiian'i l inch in diameter. Tho CiSeea
are extremely small, being 2j twelfths
loBg,- aind 1 twelfth in diameter. The
pylorus? has ft® tatee- properly So called^
Mt two ridges iun'frora' i» imOo the intestine
to the length of about & twelfths
of sen' i n®. Tfce gallbladder Wi twel f ths
long aW- i twelfths itf f readth.
In a- very small male,'the oesophagus is
4f inches* long ; the intestine 3 foot 4vm-
Ches. In a female', the intestine is-3'feet
il'inclicKlim'g.
-The trachea-is 4TV inelieslofig. flattened,
twelfths broad at the upper part, gradually
contracting to 2'f twelfths; itSrings
1)5, eixtre'meiy'thin and ufiossitro-d: The
bronchi are of moderate, length, wi thahout
20 half-rings'. The lateral muscles are
thin, tHe .sterno-tracheal Slender.