BIRDS OF KANSAS. 259 



Iris brownish to reddish orange; bill black, bluish at base; 

 cere slate color; legs and feet yellow; claws black, occasionally 

 a white claw. 



These birds do not appear to be very abundant anywhere, but 

 are found in greater numbers in the northern and eastern portion 

 of their range. In the winter and spring of 1880, while col- 

 lecting in Nova Scotia, I met with them quite often. They 

 are generally known as the "Blue Hen Hawk." In actions 

 and habits they are very similar to Cooper's Hawk, but rather 

 more arboreal. A stout built bird, that readily kills the largest 

 Ducks and fowls, and strong enough on the wing to carry off a 

 bird of its own weight. Their appearance strikes terror among 

 the barnyard fowls and Doves. 



Their nests are placed in tall trees. They are composed of 

 sticks, withered twigs and weeds, and lined with fibrous strip- 

 pings from bark and grasses. Eggs usually two or three, 2.30x 

 1.75; bluish white; sometimes with obscure markings of reddish 

 brown; in form, rounded oval. 



Genus BUTEO Cuvtee. 

 "Form robust and heavy, the wiugs long, and rather pointed, the tail mod. 

 erate and rounded, the bill and feet strong. Bill intermediate between that of 

 Aatur and that of Parabuteo. Wing long and rather pointed, the third to fifth 

 quill longest, the first shorter than eighth; three to four with inner webs emar- 

 giuated; tail moderate, slightly rounded." 



Buteo borealis (Gmel.). 



RED- TAILED HAWK. 

 PLATE XVI. 



Kesident; common. Begin laying the last of February. 



B. 23. K. 436. C. 516. G. 203, 119. U. 337. 



Habitat. Eastern North America; west to the Great Plains. 



Sp. Char. "Four outermost quills with inner webs distinctly emarginate. 

 Adult: Upper parts rich blackish brown, approaching black on the back; scapu- 

 lars and middle wing coverts edged and barred beneath the surface with dull 

 wliite, and tinged along the edges with ochraceous. Wings generally of a paler 

 shade than the back; secondaries fading into nearly white at tips, and with 

 the greater coverts obscurely barred with darker; primaries nearly black, tips 

 edged with paler brown, this passing into whitish; rump uniform blackish 

 brown, feathers obscurely bordered with rusty. Upper tail coverts ochraceous 

 white, nearly pure terminally, and witli about two distinct transverse bars of 



