286 RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. 



Cni.oH. Adull. Above, dark-brnwn everywhere, lightest on the bead nnd dr.iiest on the wings and tail, with the 

 feathers on top of head, neck, back, and shoulders, edged with yellowish-rufous which becomes quiie reddish on the latter. 

 The wings are harrcd with white and the tail is crossed with five bars of it find is tipped with the same color. Sides of head 

 and throat, dusky, streaked with yellowish-rufous. Remaining under portions, yellowish, barred with deeper rufous and 

 more or le-^^s streaked on the breast and middle of body with dusky. 



Younrj. Quite similar to tlie adult but with the outer webs of primaries edged with yellowish-rufous and the wings 

 are barred with- it. The tail is also rufous finely banded with dusky. There are no rufous bandings below but there are 

 broad drop-shaped marks of brown distributed over the entire surface. 



Youn() of the year. Similar to the young but there is much more rufous above, excepting on the outer edges of prima- 

 ries, where there is less, and there is a stronger tinging of rufous beneath. 



Nestlings. Are, at first, covered with a pale yellowish down, then gradually assume the plumage last described. Bill 

 and h-is, brown, cere, greenish, and feet, yellow, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



There is considerable variation in plumage in specimens of the same age, some being much darker than others. There is 

 also a pale form with unmarked tibia. Florida birds are smaller and darker than those from the North. Readily known 

 by the four incised quills, feathering of the tarsus, and tints as described. Distributed, asasummerresideut, from Canada 

 to Florida. Winters in Massachusetts and southward. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements offcmalospoeimens from Eastern North America. Length, 21-94; stretch, 4l-i5; wing, 13-82;. 

 tail, 8-50; bill, -'J.'3; tarsus, 2-7.'). Longe-t specimen, 24-00; greatest extent of wing, 4.3-12; longest wing, 14-75: tail, <J-.';0; 

 bill, -80; tarsus, 2-95. Shortest .sps -imen, 19 05; smallest extent of wing, 39-12; shortest wiug, 13-05: tail, 7-5;'; bill, -'Ji; 

 tarsus, 2-45. 



Avcrago i:icr;surcmc;its of malo specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 20-05; stretch, 35- 15; wing, 12-CO; 

 tail, 8-42; bill, -80; tarsus, 2-65. Longest specimen, 23-CO; greatest extent of wing, 3800; longest wing, 12-50; tail, 9-75; 

 bill, -90; tarsus, 2-90. Shortest specimen, 16-00; smallest extent of wing, 3250; shortest wing, 11-00; tail, 800; bill, -75; 

 tarsus, 2-23. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in tree-^; they are very bulky structures composed of sticks, twigs, and weeds, lined with strijjs of bark 

 and grass. 



E<ii;s, three or four in number, varying from spherical to elliptical in form, blui-ih-wliite in color, spott^^d and blotched 

 irregularly with brown and umber of varying shades. Dimensions from 1-70x2-20 to 1-80x2 30. 



HABITS. 



That civilization has an influence upon various members of the feathered tribes, has 

 been frequently shown in the preceding pages and the influence has, as a rule, been bene- 

 ficiul, not only to the birds but also to man; but in the .species now under consideration, 

 this is quite different. In former days, when the country was a wilderness, these Hawks 

 were contented to feed upon mice, frogs, lizards, snakes, and other vermin, seldom mo- 

 lesting birds for they are too slow in movement to capture them readily; but with the set- 

 tlement of the country, poultry-yards were introduced, and Red-shouldered Hawks were not 

 long in learning that the occupants could be as easily captured as the animals which had 

 hitherto formed their food. This lesson, once learned, has never been forgotten and today, 

 there is not a more troublesome Hawk than the Red-shouldered. 



In the wilder sections, however, these Hawks still retain the primitive habits of their 

 ancestors; thus in Florida, I found them feeding upon small mammals, reptiles, crabs, and 

 other crustaceans. These birds were constantly resident in Florida and were of the small 

 race, char.-icteristic of the South, but in the vicinity of Jacksonville, during winter, I found 

 the larger northern form which were evidently migrants and which were as troublesome to 

 the planters as they are to the ftirmers, for they would steal chickens whenever a suitable 



