126 



appear, flying swiftly overhead, or soaring circularly. On wing, it 

 gives several screams uttered in rapid succession, followed by a squeal- 

 ing note. It feeds on small quadrupeds, and salamanders. None of 

 the numerous specimens dissected contained feathers, or other evi- 

 dence of its feeding on birds. 



In the spring of 1871, a nest was built in the wood adjoining ray 

 house, from which I took one of the young birds; it became a very 

 interesting pet, quite gentle, and foad of me, but refusing to submit 

 to being handled by any one else; but it was prone to wander abroad, 

 a.nd so was lost. 



On May 8, 1872, I shot a male Broad-winged Hawk upon its nest, 

 wounding it badly. It clawed me severely when I attempted to cap- 

 ture it. The nest was simply a repaired Crow's nest, from which I 

 had taken a suite of eggs the year previously. The eggs, as in every 

 nest that I have seen, were two in number. I shot the female several 

 days later, and found it to be in immature plumage, although mated 

 with an old bird. During the same season, another pair built a nest 

 in the same wood, but both birds were shot before the eggs were 

 laid. This nest became the home of still another pair of Broad-wings 

 on the following season. They laid only two eggs, which were re- 

 markable for being almost unspotted. When I climbed to the nest, 

 the male bird flew to a branch over it, uttering loud, squealing cries, 

 and thence darted swiftly past me, in uncomfortably close proximity 

 to my head, so that I could feel the rush of air when he passed ; then, 

 perching above me again, he would lower his head, partly spread his 

 wings, and incline his body downwards, uttering a whining whistle as 

 he prepared to make another swoop. He looked very formidable. I 

 heartily wished myself at the bottom of the tree. Only when I had 

 reached the nest did the female leave it; then she merely withdrew 

 to an adjoining limb, and replaced herself upon the nest as soon as I 

 began to descend. Then the anxiety of the male (greatly to my 

 delight) appeared to be much lessened. I left the eggs, hoping that 

 more would be deposited, but in this I was disappointed. Several 

 days later, I took the eggs, and found embryos considerably devel- 

 oped. 



This Hawk commonly selects a deserted Crow's nest to build upon ; 

 but I have known them, several times, to build a new nest. I have 

 twice found immature birds breeding, in which the stripes covered 

 the belly. 



Dimensions. — Average measurements of two adult males: length, 

 15-85; stretch, 35-85; wing, 10-58; tail, 6-65; culmen, measured from 

 cere, '74; cere, -48; tarsus, 2-50; middle toe, 1-33; middle toe and 

 claw, 1-84; claw alone, 'Q5. Average of three achiU females : length, 

 17-08; stretch, 37-65; wing, 11-75; tail, 7-03; culmen, measured from 



