RED-TAILED HAWK. 



283 



Yovr.r/. Quite similar to the lulult above, but the tail lacks the ciisnamon, being light red, marked witli twelve, or 

 msre, bands of dark-ln-ovm. Beneath, nearly whife,wi:h a slight tinge of yell wish; no stvciikings on the throat or breast 

 b;:t bar.ded as in the adult. The tiliia is not streaked but is banded in sjjots with dark-brown. In the^e two stages, the 

 iris is dark-brown acd feet are yellow. 



Youny of the. year. Not unlike the young; darker above, espec'ally on the tail, and shewing more reddish on tlic top 

 cf the head. There isaI>;o a general suffusion of buffbelow, particularly i u the breast. " 



Nes/linr;s. Areatlirst covered with a pale reddish down, then gradually assume tl'.e plumage last described wl.ich Ls 

 retailed for a year. In the last two stages, tlie iris is p.de brownish-yellow and the feet are ])ale yellow. In all stages 

 the bill is black and the cere, greenish. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Al. hough this species varies greatly in the We-t, often assuming very dark colors, it is quite constant in t!;is respect 

 in our see.iin. The pure cinnamon-red tail is usually characteri-^tic of t!ie adult plumage but it is frequently barred with 

 black in specimens wLicli are fully adult. On the other hand, I am informed by Jlr. William Perham of Tyn<;sboruuo-!i 

 who has bcyound doubt handled more Uawks of tliis species than any one else, tliat he has, on several (iceasijcs, tiiken the 

 young from the nest with perfectly red tails. Adult birds sometimes have the tibia uaspotted. T.us species may bj rec- 

 ognized in all stages by the large size, light tints beneath, and other colors as described, togetlier with the half feat:.ered 

 tarsus. Disiribated, during summer, throughout North America; wintering south of latitude 42^. 



DBIENSIONS. 



Average measurement- offemalespeeiiaens from Eastern North America. Length, 23-00, stretch, 47-CO; winL', 16-00; 

 tail, 8 "■>; hill, -95; tarsus, 3'25. Longest .specimen, 24-00; greatest extent of wing, 50-00; longest wingTlT-OO; tail, 9 50; 

 bill, rrO; tarsus, 3 00. Shortest specimen, 22-00: smalle-st extent of wing, 4800; shortest wiug, 15-00; tail, 8 00; bill, -9;); 

 tarsus, 3-50. 



Average measurements of male specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 2!)-50: stretch, 47-00; wing, H'.IO; 

 tnil, 7-50; hill, -95; tai-sus, 2-95. Longest specimen, 21 00; greatest extent of wing, 4800; longest wing, 15 00; tail, 8 00; 

 bill, TOO; tarsus, 2-90. Shortest specimen, 19-00; smallest extent of wing, 46-00; shortest wing, 14 00, tail, 70;>; bill, -9i); 

 tarsus, 3-05. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGG-S. 



Nests, placed in trees. They arc bulky structures, composed of sticks and twigs, lined with leaves, weeds, and strips 

 of bark. 



E(j^s, tliree or four in number, varying from elliptical to oval in form, bluisli-wlute in color, spotted and blotcl-.ed witli 

 brown i;ud umber of varying shades. Dimensions, from 1-65x2-10 to 1-80 x2-25. 



HABITS. 



Miiny years ago, -when Florida was a wilderness and but sparsely inhabited by the 

 whites, the Indians were accustomed to bum over large tracts of the piuey woods in order 

 to forui pasture grounds for the deer. Later, the settlers followed their example ami in 

 the wilder portions, this is practiced at the present time. The (ire not only spretids over 

 the woodland but also encroaches upon the drier portions of the savannas and, as the grass 

 in these Litter named sections form the refuge of many smtdl mammtils ;is well as reptiles, 

 there is a general stampede when the flames approach. Vultures and ILiwks speedily be- 

 come aware of the fdct, that their prey is much more etisily obttiined when the fires are 

 raging, and consequently flock to the vicinity in numbers. The Red-tailed Hawks are 

 netirly always present upon such occasions; indeed, I do not remember of ever htiving seen 

 a fire of tiny extent in Middle and Northern Florida, when there were not one or more p.-iirs 

 of these birds, circling around a short distance above the ground or plunging downwartl 

 through the smoke (o secure some animal which was endeavoring to save its life by flight. 



The Red-tiiiled Hawks spend only the winter in Florida for I do not think thtit any 

 remain to breed but, as spring approaches, they migrate northward, passing tlirough Mtiss- 

 achusetts about the first week in April. In migrating, the Red-tailed Ilawks move iu 



