THE FERRUGINOUS ROUGH-LEG. 513 



No. 208. 



FERRUGINOUS ROUGH-LEG. 



A. O. U. No. 348. Archibuteo ferrugineus (Liclit.). 



Synonyms. — Ferrugixuus Rougii-lEGged Buzzard. Sofirrel H.wvk. 

 Cae:fornia Squirrel Hawk. 



Description. — .Iditlts, norma} phase: Back, wing-coverts, and rump mingled 

 blackish and chestnut-brown, cacli feather darker centrally and edged with 

 chestnut ; primaries blackish with glaucous bloom on outer webs, shafts chiefly- 

 white, and iimer webs largely whitish ; the remaining cjuills similar but more or 

 less blackish- and whitish-barred on inner webs : tail below, silvery white, above 

 mingled ashy and ferruginous with white base and tip : head above and sides 

 black-and-white-streaked in about equal amounts; underparts chiefly white: flanks, 

 flags, and tarsi strongly tinged with rusty red and marked with blackish : also 

 more or less marking of chestnut on belly and sides, and some sharp blackisii 

 shaft-streaks on breast. Adults, iiiclaiiistic pliasc: Above rich chocolate-brown; 

 below mingled rust}- and choculale: tail unchanged. Bill dark bluish; feet and 

 cere yellow; irides light brown or yellow. Iiiiiiiatiire: Upperparts grayish 

 brown with tawny edgings ; tail without ashy, white for basal third, remainder 

 grayish brown, crossed by several indistinct duskv bands : underparts nearly pure 

 white, not tinged with rusty posteriorly, but somewhat marked with dusky. Adult 

 male, length: 22.50 (S/i-S) ; extent 54.50 (1384.2): wing 16.60 (421.6): tail 

 10.00 (254) ; tarsus 2.75 (69.9). Adult female, length.- 23.75 (603.3 ) ' e.xtent 56.50 

 (1435) ; wing 18.00 (457.2) ; tail 10.75 (273-0- 



Recognition Marks. — Brant size: soaring flight or sluggish flapping; strong 

 mingling of rusty red distinctive in any plumage; white of underparts shading to 

 rusty posteriorly of normal plumage unique. 



Nesting. — Nest: a bulky platform of sticks on ledge or clifif, rarely in trees; 

 lined with fresh twigs and green branches, or variously. Eggs: 2-4, pale greenish 

 blue or bluish white, tmmarked, or else washed and tinged, rarelv spotted or 

 blotched, with pale rufous brown or dull brown. Av. size 2.55x1.95 (64.8 x 

 49.5). Season: April (Chelan, April 10, 1896) : one brood. 



General Range. — Western North America, from the plains (eastern North 

 Dakota to Texas) westward to the Pacific, and from the Saskatchewan region 

 south into Mexico; casually east to Illinois. Breeds from Utah, Colorado, and 

 Kansas northward to the Saskatchewan Plains. 



Range in Washington. — Not common summer resident east of the Cascades. 



Authorities.— [C. & S. Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. XH.. p. II., i860, p. 149. 

 "Vicinity of Fort Dalles O. T." Not a valid Washington record.] Brewster, 

 B. N. O. C. VII., 1882. p. 227. (C&'S.) D'. D^ 



Specimens. — C. 



