GREAT-FOOTED HAWK. 13 
one side of the middle (.54 the length of the egg from the smaller 
end); ends very nearly equal, and not very pointed. The distri- 
bution of the color in this is nearest of any of the four eggs 
before me to that figured by Dr. Brewer, and only differs from it 
in tint. One end (the smaller?) is very light reddish, or reddish-. 
white, becoming lighter from the middle towards this end, about 
which it is the lightest, and thinly marked with irregular mottlings 
of dark reddish chocolate, which present a very superficial grayish 
tinge that is very characteristic; the other end (the larger?) is of 
a uniform dark ferruginous-brown or dull-red ochre, varied towards 
the middle by the appearance of the light ground-color between 
the there scarcely confluent blotches of dark-brown that give the 
uniform deep tint towards and about this end. 
“No. 3. Longer diameter, 2.32 inches; shorter diameter, 1.70 
inches: shorter diameter, .733 the longer. Form ovoid, the 
smaller end elongated and much pointed. This egg is the longest, 
and much larger in proportion to its diameter than either of the 
others. The point of greatest diameter is .656 the length of 
the egg from the smaller end. In this specimen, the contrast 
between the ground-color and the markings becomes very strong : 
the ground-color, which is seen chiefly in a broad band about the 
middle of the egg, being white or reddish-white ; and the markings 
very dark reddish-brown, nearly approaching purple, and are quite 
uniformly distributed in blotches of various sizes, the largest being 
near the larger end of the egg: the sub-markings are of a lighter 
reddish-brown, and are more blended. 
“No. 4. Longer diameter, 2.16 inches; shorter diameter, 1.65 
inches: shorter diameter, .765 the longer. Form regular ovoid, 
the smaller end rather more pointed than the same in No. 1; point 
of greatest transverse diameter .60 the length of the egg from the 
smaller end. In this specimen, the contrast of the ground-color 
with the markings is very striking, especially when compared with 
specimens No. 1 and No. 2; and the most peculiar part is, that the 
greater end of the egg, which in the eggs of most birds is the end 
usually most subject to markings and to the greatest depth of color, 
is white, sprinkled sparingly with reddish specks, while the smaller 
end is deep, bright brick-red, here and there relieved by small 
specks and patches of white ground-color. About the middle of 
the egg, the colors are in more equal proportions ; the white patches 
