488 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 90 



Rocky Bald and Rocky Ridge 12 and 13 miles west of Franklin, 

 June 20 and 21 ; Standing Indian Mountain near Hayesville, July 1. 

 Near Engelhard single birds were seen on October 17, 20, and 23. 



While shooting, trapping, and the spread of human occupation have 

 been of major importance in the reduction in number of this and other 

 species of hawks, the food factor may also have had far-reaching 

 significance. The red-tail is predominantly a rodent eater, taking 

 rabbits and other small mammals on occasion. In our operations in 

 North Carolina it has developed that there is an astonishing dearth of 

 small mammals through the entire Piedmont area and in the mountains 

 except in limited sections, while in the Coastal Plain small mammals 

 are common only in swampy regions. Our collectors placed lines of 

 traps numbering from 50 to 125 in all areas visited in the State and 

 kept them in constant operation, often with days passing without 

 the capture of a single mouse or shrew. Where the ubiquitous white- 

 footed mice may not be trapped it is obvious that small mammals must 

 be extremely rare. Hawks in consequence here can find little food. 

 Spring and fall burning most probably affects the mammal population 

 seriously, but other factors may operate as well. A part of the present 

 day scarcity of the red-tail and related hawks may be attributed to 

 tliis factor of food scarcity. 



BUTEO LINEATUS LINEATUS (Gmelin) : Northern Red-shonldered Hawk 



This common bird is represented by two specimens, a male (wing 

 319 mm.) taken near Roseboro May 5, and an adult female (wing 

 341 mm.) shot on Hogan Creek, 7 miles northeast of Reidsville, on 

 September 19. Both specimens agree in color and size with northern 

 specimens. 



BUTEO PLATYPTERUS PLATYPTERUS (VIeillot) : Broad-wlngred Hawk 



This species was observed near Rockingham on May 30; Murphy, 

 June 16 ; Hayesville, July 3 ; and Highlands, July 6. 



Family FALCONIDAE 



FALCO PEREGRINUS ANATUM Bonaparte: Dack Hawk 



One was recorded 5 miles north of Engelhard on October 20. 



FALCO COLUMBARIUS COLUMBARIUS Linnaens: Eastern Pigeon Hawk 



Recorded at Leakville, October 12, and Engelhard, October 20. 



FALCO SPARVEBIUS SPARVERIUS Linnaeus: Eastern Sparrow Hawk 



A male sparrow hawk was taken on Bogue Island near Morehead 

 City on November 22. Among other records may be mentioned birds 



