216 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



into whitish; upper tail-coverts tinged with delicate cream-color (immaculate). Tail 

 with four very broad bands of black, the intervening spaces being dark umber on the two 

 middle feathers, on the others fine ciiinamon-ochrc ; the tip also (broadly) of this color. 

 Ear-eoverts uniform rich dark snufl'-brown, feathers of a satiny te.Kture; feathers of facial 

 disk the same centrally, edged with fnie deep rufous. Entire lower parts deep reddish- 

 ochraceous or fulvous-rufous, growing gradually paler posteriorly ; immaculate, with the 

 exception of a few faint longitudinal stripes on the breast and sides. Under side of wing 

 as in the last, but much tinged with rufous. 



Hab. Entire continent of North America, south to Panama ; Cuba, and Bahamas. 



Localities: Oaxaca (Sou 1859, 390); Orizaba (Scl. 1857, 211); Guatemala, winter 

 (ScL. Ibis, I, 221) ; Cuba (Cab. Journ. II, Ixxxiii ; Gtu.n'dlacu, Repert. 18G5, 222, winter) ; 

 City of Mexico (Scl. 1864, 178) ; E. Texas (Dresseh, Ibis, 1865, 323, resident) ; W. 

 Arizona (Coues) ; Bahamas (Bryant, Pr. Bost. See. 1867, 65) ; Costa Rica (Lawk. IX, 

 134). 



LIST Of SPEOLMENS EXAMINED. 



National Museum, 53; Museum Comp. Zool., 24; Boston Society, 8; Philadelphia 

 Academy, 10 ; Cab. of G-. N. Lawrence, 5 ; R. Ridgway, 6. Total, 106. 



Habits. The Marsh Hawk is one of the most widely distributed birds of 

 North America, breeding from the fur i-egions around Hudson's Bay to Texas, 

 and from Nova Scotia to Oregon and Cahfornia. It is abundant every- 

 wliere, excepting in the southeastern portion of the United States. Sir 

 John Eichardson speal^s of it as so common on the plains of the Saskatche- 

 wan tliat seldom less than five or six are in sight at a time (in latitude 55°). 

 Mr. Towiisend found it on the plains of the Columbia Eiver and on the 

 prairies bordering on the Missouri. The Vincennes Exploring Expedition 

 obtained specimens in Oregon. Dr. Gambel and Dr. Heermanu found it 

 abundant in California. Dr. Suckley's party obtained specimens in INfinne- 

 sota ; Captain Beckwith's, in Utah ; Captain Pope, Lieutenant Wliipple, and 

 Dr. Henry, in New Mexico ; and Lieutenant Coucli, in Tamaulipas, Mexico. 

 Dr. Woodhouse met with it abundantly from the ]klississippi River to the 

 Pacific Ocean, througliout the summer, showing conclusively that it breeds 

 in those different sections of country. De la Sagra, Lembeye, and Dr. 

 Gundlach, all give it as a bird of Culia, but not as breeding there. 



Dall record.s it as very rare on the Yukon, and an occasional summer visitor 

 only at St. Michael's, where an individual was killed as late as November. 

 Donald Gunn states that it makes its appearance in the fur countries about 

 the opening of the rivers, and departs about the beginning of November. 

 It preys upon small birds and mice, is very slow on the wing, flies xevy low, 

 and in a manner very different from all otlier kinds of Hawks. 



In Nova Scotia it is very abundant, and is very destructive of young 



