54 THE RED-TAILED HAWK. 



they had been sustained. On every occasion he found nothing but the legs, wings, and other 

 indigestible portions of beetles, grasshoppers, and other large insects. He suggests that its 

 lofty flight is for the purpose of preying upon those insects which choose the highest region of 

 air for their pleasure trips, and not merely for the better convenience of seizing prey on the 

 ground, as is the case with so many of the more carnivorous hawks. 



The colors with which this bird is decorated are, though simple in themselves, exceedingly 

 pleasing in their general effect. The head, neck, and part of the secondaries are a grayish- 

 white, and the whole of the lower parts are a whitish-ash. The back and upper portions of 

 the body are ashy-black, and the pinions are deep black, as is its deeply forked tail. The legs 

 are scarlet, and the claws, bill, and cere black. The Mississippi Kite, called also the Black 

 Kite, has much the same locality as the Black- Shouldered Kite. On the prairies of Illinois it 

 is said to be exceedingly abundant. On the Atlantic border it does not reach above the 

 Carolinas. It has the same graceful flight seen in the other Kites. 



THE HOOK-BILLED KITE (Rostrhamus sociabilis\ called, also, the Everglade Kite, is 

 known in the West Indies and Florida, breeding in the everglades. It is said to be sociable 

 in its habits, in this respect differing from others of the order. We have seen, however, 

 Rough-legged Falcons associated in flocks of a dozen or more, hovering over low lands, and 

 eagerly scanning the ground for small reptiles. In flight this Hawk resembles the Marsh 

 Hawk. It feeds on small shell fish, and seems particularly adapted to marine localities. 



THE BKOAD-WINGED HAWK (Buteo pennsylvanicus) is an inhabitant of the Eastern 

 Atlantic States as far south as Florida ; occasionally seen in Arizona and Southern California. 

 Its great breadth of wing, or width of secondaries, and also of its head and body, when com- 

 pared to its length, seem surprising proportions. It is a " snug-built " bird, and one of hand- 

 some markings. Audubon gave this bird the character of a coward and sneak, but some of 

 our later ornithologists agree in crediting it with all the courage possessed by its kindred. 

 Mr. Boardman, of Calais, Maine, whose observations are very accurate, differs essentially from 

 Audubon. He gives several instances of dangerous attacks upon individuals who were 

 attempting to remove eggs from their nests. 



SWAINSON'S HAWK (Buteo swainsoni), called also Baird's, is found in the western regions 

 of America, as far east as the Mississippi River, and north to the Arctic circle. Dr. Linecum, 

 an excellent observer in Texas, relates an instance of this bird following up a prairie fire to 

 snatch up the small mammals and insects that are driven out by the heat. When any 

 one approaches its nest on the prairie it will make a pretty bold attempt to frighten him 

 away ; failing that, it tries to decoy by alighting near and screeching loudly, as if some great 

 calamity had happened. On approaching, he moves off with seeming great difficulty, as if 

 wounded, screeching all the time. Eventually he rises, and sweeps along just above the 

 tall grass, and settles down as if to indicate the locality of the nest. If he fails to deceive 

 the intruder and the latter attempts to disturb the nest, the Hawk immediately rises and 

 gives fight. 



THE BAND-TAILED HAWK (Buteo zonocercus) is a native of Mexico and Guatemala, and is 

 occasionally seen in Arizona and California. 



THE RED-SHOULDERED HAWK (Buteo lineatus) is an Eastern bird, extending to Florida. 

 Another variety is found on the Pacific slope. This bird is excessively noisy. It is very 

 common, being a resident in New England throughout the year. 



RED-TAILED HAWK (Buteo boreatis). This is another very common resident of the New 

 England States throughout the year. Several distinct varieties of this Hawk are known in as 

 many different portions of the country. This is a strong and powerful bird, having the 

 faculty of soaring at great heights and at long intervals. Its habit is to watch for its prey at 



