MAR.'iH HA IV K. 2-" 



DMENSIOXS. 



AviruLremeasurfinpnts of male specimpn<i from Eastern UnitRii States. Len4;th, 190<); stretch, 40 00; winir, l-'i'50: tail, 

 7 oo- nil. 91); tM-<\i~. a 90. LoQs^est specimen, 2J 00; greate-it extant of wing, 4-3-00; longest wing, 15-011; tail, 900; bill, 

 i DO; tar-US, ;( 00. Shortest .specimen, 18-00; smallest extent of wing, 4r0t); shortest wing, 14-iX); tail, 8-00; hill, 80; tar- 

 sus. a-80. 



Average measurements of female specimens. Length, 23'00; .streteli,45'50; wing, IS'OO; tail, 8m); bill, IdO; tarsus, ,"{ 

 •25 Longest specimen, 24-00; greatest e.-Jtcntof wing, 48 00; Icmgest wing, 15-50; tail, lo-OO; hill, 1-10; tarsus, 3-50. Short- 

 est specimen, 22 00; .smallest extent of wing, 43-50, shortest wing, 14-50, tail, 900; bill, -90; tarsus, 3-00. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nc.ft.'!, placed on the ground or near it. They are not very bulky structures and are composed of sticks, twigs, weeds, 

 etc . lined with gra.ss and leaves. 



Eiif/x, f lur to six in number, rather oval in form, greenish-white in color, either immaculate or faintly spotted with pale 

 brown or lilac. Dimensions from 1-42x1-80 to 1-45x1-88. 



HABITS. 



The Hawks, now under consideration, have been rightly named as far as the appella- 

 tion by which they are commonly known, is concerned, for it will be difficult to find a 

 lUitrsli, cither salt or fresh, of any extent, which is not more or less hunted over by these 

 birds. It makes but little difference as to the situation of these low-lying tracts of coun- 

 try so long as they form the homes of mice, small birds, frogs, or even snakes, for the pres- 

 ence of any of these animals is sufficient to induce the Marsh Hawks to visit the sections 

 in V. hich they occur, in order to prey upon them. Thus they may be seen hovering over 

 (he cold, heath-covered bogs in the far north, searching for mice or small birds; they are 

 common ;ilong the fresh water meadows of New Enuland, are abundant in the middle dis- 

 tricts, and fairly swarm among the rice fields and along the rivers of the Carolinas and 

 G-or;:in, extending their range even to the vast savannas of Southern Florida, in all of 

 which places the abundant mammalian, avian, and reptilian life offers them an ample and 

 varied diet. 



Thus it will be seen that all sections are alike to the Marsh Hawks and scarcely any 

 thing that has life, comes amiss to them by the way of food. Perhaps I ought to have 

 .saiil, however, any thing that lives or has lived, for these Hawks will not only eat mice, 

 small birds, frogs, snakes, or insects, which they catch and kill, but will also eat dead ani- 

 mals. On several occasions. I have known of them eating Ducks which have been killed 

 by gunners, or some animal, and either lost or abandoned. The Marsh Hawks are, as a 

 rule, not very bold bat I once knew an exception to this and, while in Florida, some years 

 ago, repeatedly saw one of these birds rob a Peregrine Falcon of Ducks which it had cap- 

 tured. This appears almost incredible but I was once quite near when the Marsh Ilawk 

 took possession of the booty of the Falcon that was sitting on the ground, and I distinctly 

 saw the hitter givt up his prey, almost without a struggle, to the venturesome Hawk which 

 -joolly began to eat it, utterly disregarding the screams of the Falcon that was darting about , 

 a few yards above him. Nnr would he quit his meal until I had approached quite near, 

 when he flew reluctantly away. On the two occasions when I took the trnuble to exam- 

 ine the half-eaten Duck, I f mud that it was a Scaup, a species which was to heavy for 

 either the Falcon or Hawk to carry away with ease; therefore they were obliged to letiv 

 it when attacked and -.vhi-n surprised. 



