528 SHARP-SHINNED HAWK.
each of the isgapulars are two large white patches, which, hovravor, are
not-seen until the feathers arc raised. The ..uter primaries are tinged
with brown : all the quills arc- marked on the inner wot. with dusky
bands, between which the. inner margins ate white toward the base.
The tail has four broad bands flf blackisfcbrown, and is tipped with
greyish-white. The cheeks ai»-yellowish-red. .and the. forehead is
tinged with the same («lour. " The tfeaat is reddish-white.; the lower
parts are transversely and rather broadly barred with light red and
whit«, there: being from three to five bars or double spots of the latter
eolour on each feather, those on the sides with the. inner web entirely
• r e d : Pa r t "< abdomen and Imvcr tail-coverts white nfimthers of' thé
%gs barred like the breast ; low m-wing-coverts yeUovrish-whites barred
and spotted with: dusky. .
Length..to end of tail 11J inches; to end ¡É wiHgsa.Sf^.JlSifSdèf'
1 It : extent-«' wings 20j ; wing from flexure 6 f | ; tail yjS ; bill
alwg the ridge jfc. along the edge l(>f-lower mandible ; tarsus UJ ;
hind toe «|, its claw --¡% ; middle toe lfy, its .g|awr Weight oz.
Adult Female. • Mafe'B©£ÏLXSim. ,, I'ig. 2.
. The female, which greatly exceeds the male in sizeis generally greyish
brown tinged with bliifB on the upper parts, in very old individual»
bluish-grey or dark bluish-grey, more or less tinged with brown. The,-
bill, cere, iris, feet, and claws are as id. the male, and the markings on
the plumage are similar on the upper parts ; the lower are: generally
of a lighter lint, but otherwise nearly the same. ..
Length to end of tail I I inches; extent of wings 26 ; wing from
flexure Sift; tai l6&; bill alomr the ridge j S ; tarsus 2,'j ; hind t(.o ,74
a)
its claw ^ ; middle toe l f j , its claw Weight of an individual
oz., <>f another 8|.
Young birds of either sex, when fully fledged, have the upper parts
generally hadr-brown, on the back darker ; the feathers on the head and
hind neck margined with light red-;- those of the rest of the upper parts
also terminally edged with brownish-red ; the feathers, of the hind head
and nock are white at the base, b|if. to-lgss extent, and the scapular.-,
are also spotted with the same. The lower parts are white or yellowish
white, the throat longitudinally streaked, the rest banded with dark
brown, the feathers of the sides.spotted, those of the legs light reddish,
obscurely marked With darker along the middle ; the low®» tail-coverts
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. 529
white. The female has the markings on the lower parts much narrower
at this age.
A male bird preserved iu spirits pre n
sents the following characters:—Tie roof /\ M
of the mouth is flat, with two longitudi-- .^M-fivV.
nal ridges ; the posterior aperture of the
nates oblong, with a linear anterior slit,
papillate oti-.tho .edges. The tongue is 5
twelfths; long, narrow, concave above, ll lHI l j r i
slightly emarginate. The oesophagus,. , .. . ^ ^ g S f f l
a,it ode, is 3 inches. 3 twelfths long; its ^ggggggjjs
diameter at the Tipper part 5 twelfths; it
enlarges on the neck to a capacious crop,, /¡/¡¡¡j^BBS^
e d, 1 inch in diameter. The proventri- ,
cuius, c,.has a complete belt of small oblong
gjandules. The stomach, / g, is ^BUBBI
large, roundish, membranous, without (lis- " iM
tinct muscles, 1 inch 3 "twelfths long, and
1 inch broad The 'intestine, g kt I, is . , I jgja
14J inches long, its greatest diameter 2 fs\ pElg
twelfths. The rectum, j- I, is 1 inch. 9 VI: \ * . jBm
twelfths lung; its diameter at the, ante X m
rior part 3 twelfths ; the ca:ca, J, are ( C B ^ sBl
exceedingly small, forming two scarcely ft ^BBBBIMmL¿j,,
ahseryabte sacs, about half a, twelfth in I f J" X W
depth. The: trachea is 2is inches: long, its ,fh V _„ •'
rings, umossified, 78 in number; the bron- 11 \ V V x J ^ n , MI J
«iS long and slender, of about IS half K y V - p H .
rings.-' The contents of the crop aid1 .sto- ia
rnaeh were portions of two small birds. ij j j l *
On ¿comparing several specimens,.,
male and female, of this Sharp-shinned Jp t l ^ l
Hawk, with others of the European Spar- WS^ g g / i
row. Hawk; therproportions are found to ••
be similar, as are the colours/of the upper parts ; but the American
birds, especially the males, are much smaller; and the transverse bands,
on .the; lower parts of the Sharp-shinned Hawk are redder and broader