302 



NOKTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



ows, plains, and the more open woods. He usually found their stomachs 

 filled with arvicolaj and other small quadrupeds peculiar to that country. 

 It could always be readily recognized by its conspicuously white under 



parts, contrasted with 

 its dark chesnut tibiae 

 and reddish back. 



At San Pedro, on the 

 southern coast of Cali- 

 fornia, he again found 

 this Hawk very com- 

 mon. It there alights 

 very freely on the 

 ground, where he often 

 observed it. At Fort 

 Whipple he only saw it 

 on trees. At San Pedro 

 its choosing thus the 

 bare plain may have 

 been a matter of neces- 

 sity. 



Dr. Kennerly ob- 

 served a single individ- 

 ual of this species in a 

 " prairie-dog-town " of 

 large extent, near Fort 

 Davis. It was intently 

 watching at the hole of^one of these animals. While in this position, it was 

 observed to strike at the prairie-dog with its claw, when one of these ani- 

 mals protruded its head. As it was very intently watching its prey, it was 

 easily approached and shot. 



Dr. Heermann observed this Hawk in the valley of the Sacramento, where 

 he thought it rather rare, but afterwards, during his connection with the 

 government surveying party under Lieutenant Williamson, in the southern 

 part of the State, he found it very abundant. On one occasion five or six 

 individuals were in view at the same moment, among the mountains, sixty 

 miles east of San Diego. It was there much more abundant than any other 

 species. As large tracts of that country frequented by these birds are en- 

 tirely without trees, they alight on the ground or on some slightly elevated 

 tuft of grass, or a stone, where they sit patiently for hours watching for 

 their prey, which was always found to consist of mice and other small 

 quadrupeds. In one instance the crop was found filled with the remains of 

 a ground squirrel. 



Dr. Heermann states that he found the nest and ew's of this bird on tlie 

 Consumnes Eiver. The nest was in the fork of an oak, and was composed of 



Archibuteo ferru^neus. 



