HARLAN'S HAWK 177 



them "as examples of krideri, thereby extending the range of that 

 form far to the westward." 



Dr. Bishop seems to be convinced that Harlan's hawk has a well- 

 marked second-year plumage, and I am inclined to agree with him, 

 though Mr. Taverner denies it. This plumage, in the dark phase 

 as we recognize it, is characterized by a dull red tail, crossed by 

 dark bars and often showing some spotting; the white-spotted 

 plumage of the upper parts has been replaced by a uniform, sooty- 

 brown plumage, somewhat darker than in calurus. I have not seen 

 any birds in the light phase that I could recognize as second-year 

 birds. If, as seems likely, harlani has a distinct second-year plumage, 

 which I have been unable to trace in other red-tailed hawks, it tends 

 to strengthen the theory that harlani is a distinct species. 



Food. — Swarth (1926) says on the food of this hawk: "Of the six 

 specimens I collected four had crop or stomach or both well filled. 

 Two contained rabbit {Lepus americanus macfarlani)^ one held 

 ground squirrel {Citellus plesius plesius) and chipmunk {Eutamias 

 horealis caniceps), and one held rabbit and chipmunk." 



Norman A. Wood writes to me that his collectors in Arkansas tell 

 him that these hawks feed mostly on rabbits and quail, but also on 

 squirrels, field rats, and mice, and more or less on small birds. 



Behamor. — ^Audubon (1840) writes: 



This species, altliougli considerably smaller than the Red-tailed Hawk, to 

 which it is allied, is superior to it in flight and daring. Its flight is rapid, 

 greatly protracted, and so powerful as to enable it to seize its prey with ap- 

 parent ease, or effect its escape from its stronger antagonist, the Red-tail, 

 which pursues it on all occasions. 



The Black Warrior has been seen to pounce on a fowl, kill it almost in- 

 stantly, and afterwards drag it along the ground for several hundred yards, 

 when it would conceal it, and return to feed upon it in security. It was not 

 observed to fall on Hares or Squirrels, but at all times evinced a marked 

 preference for common Poultry, Partridges, and the smaller species of Wild 

 Duck. 



Fall. — Mr. Swarth (1926) says: "During September, Harlan hawks 

 were migrating in numbers. They were seen near Atlin daily, and 

 between Atlin and Teslin (September 7 to 15) a number were ob- 

 served drifting southward. On September 21, I saw two, the last 

 observed." 



Mr. Williams gives fall dates for North Dakota from September 

 28 to November 20, and says : "The flight usually starts with a few 

 stragglers and gradually increases to its height (about 200 birds for 

 a day or so), then gradually decreases. I see usually from 700 to 

 1,000 every spring and fall. They fly with the red-tails and circle the 

 same way, usually very high, but after the first few days a number 

 of them stop to feed, but are very shy and wild." 



