106 NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



436(5'. Western Red-tail — buteo borealis calurus. Dirty bluish- 

 white, marked more or less over the entire surface with dashes, lines and 

 blotches of a light tint of brown, mixed with lighter purplish brown. 

 These markings run with the length of the eg^; two to four in number, 

 and measure about 2.25 by 1.80. A large series of eggs of the East- 

 ern and Western varieties before me exhibit the same general variations 

 in their markings. The nesting of both birds is the same, but in remote 

 localities the nest is placed on the ledge of a cliff. 



Hab. Western North America, especially in U. S., from Rocky Mountains to the Pacific. 



436r. Saint Lucas Red-tail — buteo borealis lucasanus. The eggs 

 and nesting of this light-colored form of Red-tail are similar to those of 

 B. borealis of the Eastern States. Hab. Lower California. 



439. Red-shouldered Hawk — buteo lineatus. Bluish-white, spotted 

 and blotched irregularly with brown and umber of varying shades; the 

 eggs are variable in the style of markings, but are, as a general rule, more 

 highly-colored than those of the Red-tail, and range in size from 2. to 2.30 

 in length by 1.70 to 1.75 in breadth. The usual number is three or four, 

 sometimes five, and rarely six. The nest is very much the same in char- 

 acter but is somewhat smaller'. It is said not to be so long reoccupied by 

 the same birds. This is one of the commonest hawks in the United 

 States, especially in winter, from which it receives the name of Winter 

 Falcon. It also shares the name of "Chicken" Hawk, commonly applied 

 to all the large hawks. Although it does visit the barnyard, its diet 

 is more humble, and it seeks for food in swamps and retired places. 



Hab. Eastern United States and British Provinces. Var. B. I. eUgatis westward. 



439^;. Red-bellied Hawk — buteo lineatus elegans. Dingy- white, 

 with a brownish tinge, marked with blotches of an umber color; these 

 look as though they were hastily brushed over lengthwise of the ^g%\ two 

 to four in number; size about 2.10 by 1.76, with the usual variations in 

 color and size. The nest is placed in tall trees, and is essentially the same 

 as that of the Red-shouldered. In Texas, Mr. Singley says this Hawk 

 has the peculiar habit of placing green leaves in the nest. Sometimes the 

 leaves are bruised and often stain the eggs, and by the time incubation is 

 well advanced the nest is half full of green leaves. He says two or three 



eggs is the usual number. Hab. Rocky Mountains to the Pacific. ^ 



441. White-tailed Hawk — buteo albicauu.vtus. This fine Hawk is 

 a rather common resident on the Rio Grande of Southern Texas and 

 southward. Dr. Merrill mentions two nests which he found May 2, 1878, 

 placed in the top of a yucca growing in Palo Alto prairie, about seven miles 



