58 Wyoming Experiment Station. 



the ground and in many localities a wire fence is the only thing 

 that they can substitute for the dead limbs of trees in other 

 regions, where they can rest above the ground. In Wyoming 

 these birds live almost entirely upon weed seeds. For this 

 reason they should be protected and not suffer as they do by 

 the raids of small boys with guns seeking for something to 

 kill. The records are numerous and for this reason are omitted. 



AMERICAN VULTURES. 



325. Cathartes aura (Linn.). 

 Turkey Vulture. 

 Summer resident ; rather common in eastern Wyoming. 

 Allen found them in Wyoming during the summer of 1871 ; 

 Jesurun states that they are common about Douglas ; Bond 

 finds them about Cheyenne ; Gilmore has noted them on the 

 Laramie plains ; Cary observed them in the vicinity of New- 

 castle and reports them common. I have seen them in the fol- 

 lowing places : Laramie plains, Big Horn basin, near Buffalo, 

 in Crook county and along the Rattlesnake mountains. 



VULTURES, FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 



331. Circus hudsonius (Linn.). 

 Marsh Hawk. 



Summer resident ; very common. This is the most com- 

 mon hawk in the state and breeds in great numbers along 

 streams and marshes up to 8,000 feet. I have seen them in the 

 fall of the year in marshy parks of the mountains nearly to 

 timber line. They arrive on the Laramie Plains the last week 

 in March and remain until ice forms over the streams. This 

 is one of the most beneficial hawks in the west and should be 

 protected by all. The amount of insects and detrimental mam- 

 mals they devour annually can not be estimated. The hunter 

 will do well to encourage the protection of these birds and the 

 agriculturists should encourage them to breed in their fields. 

 There are voluminous notes concerning the food of these birds 



