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Show APPENDIX C.- BIRDS. 325 than any yet recorded. It is abundant throughout the United States, where the difficulty of shooting it has passed into a proverb. BIRDS COLLECTED IN NEW MEXICO BY LIEUT. ABERT. 1. FALCO SPARVERITJS, L.- Sparrow- hawk. 2. PIPILO ABERTI, Baird. This species at first sight exhibits a strong resemblance to Pi-pUo fusea from Monterey, from which, however, it differs in many characteristic features. The colour above is of a nearly uniform rusty- brown, or olive, no material difference in tint being descerni-ble on the head and rump, as in P. fusea. Beneath, and on the sides of the neck, the colour is much like that of the back, with a stronger tinge of ferruginous, however, which becomes very decided about the lower tail- coverts. The markings around the bill are not very distinct, owing to the mutilated state of the specimen; there appears, however, to be a tendency to black on the loral feathers; the bristles also are black. The throat seems to be uniform in colour with the neck and breast, and unspotted. The tail is uniformly coloured, and is destitute of the light tip of P. fusea. The bill is much stouter than in P. fusea, as well as more curved. The claws also are much stronger and larger, the tip of the outer reaching to the middle of the middle one; while in P. fusea it only extends to the base. The general tint of plumage in P. aberti has decidedly more of ferruginous than in P. fusea. The throat is uniform with the breast, and unspotted; the rump too is uniform with the back; in both these particulars differing from P. fusea. The following table exhibits the relative dimensions of the two species:- P. aberti. P. fusea. ( Male.) Length ( approximate) 9 inches. Wing folded and slightly carved 3 A " 3/ f inches. Tail to base of quills 4* " 4 Bill along the ridge }} " }} " Greatest depth of bill if " iJ " Middle tail- feather beyond outer, || " j± " Tarsus jf " tt* " Claw i{ " ff " Rest of hind toe \\ " JJ " Middle claw : jj " JJ " Best of middle toe JJ " f} « |
