IIED-SUOULDERED HAWK. 201 



For the pri\ ilege ut" including tliis sub-species iuiioiig tlie " Birds 

 of Ontario," I am indebted to the followiny notice wliich appears in 

 the Aitk\ Vol. v., page 20") : 



"I liave obtained from ]Mr. J. Dodds, of St. Thomas, Ontario, a 

 fine adult male of the Western Red-tail {liittfo horealiti calurus) 

 which was killed near that place in the fall of 1885, by John Oxford, 

 This seems to be the first recorded occurrence of this species in 

 Ontario."— W. E. Saunders, London, Ontario. 



Dr. Coues, who is always averse to making too many sub-species, 

 after describing the ordinary Red-tail, says of this subject: "Such 

 is the ordinary Hen-hawk, so abundant in eastern North AmSrica, 

 where it is subject to compai-atively little variation. In the west, 

 however, where it is equally numerous, it sports almost interminably 

 in color, and not always conformably with geographical distribution. 

 Se\eral of these phases have received special names as given beyond. 

 I am willing to spread them upon my page, but too much of my life 

 is behind me for me to spend time in such trivial nmtabilities." 



As the subject may still be interesting to younger students, I 

 place the record here for their consideration. 



BUTEO LINEATUS (Gmel.). 

 145. Red-shouldered Hawk. (-J^O) 



Four outei' primaries emarginate on inner web ; general plumage of the adult 

 of a lieh fulvoiis cast ; above, reddish-brown, the feathers with dark brown 

 centres ; below, a lighter shade of the same, with narrow dark streaks and 

 white bars; quills and tail, blackish, conspicnonsly banded with pure white; 

 the bend of the wing, orange-brown. Young: — Plain dark brown above; below, 

 white with dark streaks ; quills and tail, barred with whitish. Nearly as long 

 as B. horeali'i, but not nearly so heavy ; tarsi, more naked. Female : — 22 ; wing, 

 14; tail, 9. J/a/e.-— 19; wing, 1.3; tail, 8 (average). 



Hab. — Eastern North Amei'ica, west to Texas and tlie Plains, south to the 

 (rulf coast and Mexico. 



Nest, in trees, comjjosed of sticks and twigs, lined with grass and a few 

 feathers. 



Eggs, two to four, varialjlc in color, usually dull white, blotched with rich 

 brown. 



In Southern Ontaiio this species is a common summer resident, 

 breeding freely in the less settled parts of the country, where it is 

 more frequently seen than any other of the "chicken hawks." 



