240 CIRCUS HUDSONIUS — THE MARCH HAWK. 



under parts white, with a dark stripe on each feather, and 

 the upper parts brown, but lighter than the last, and the 

 tail with six white bars. The bars are variable. 



Length of the female 13 to 14 inches. Males 10 to 12 

 inches. 



Specimens in the Museum of the Cleveland Academy of 

 Natural Science. 



Genus Circus. Lacepede. 



Species of medium size ; head rather large ; face with a 

 disc of short feathers partially encircling it, as in the Owls. 

 Bill short, compressed, curved from the base ; nostrils large ; 

 wings long and pointed; tail long and wide; tarsi long, 

 slender and compressed; toes moderate; claws long and 

 rather slender. The species, about fifteen, are scattered 

 all over the world, one only in North America. 



Circus Hudsonius, Linn. — The March Hawk. 



Wilson's Amer. Orn., VI., pi. 51, fig. 2; Audubon's B. of 

 Am., Oct. ed., I., pi. 26. 



A widely distributed species, having been obtained in 

 California, Oregon, Cuba and all the rest of North America. 

 It is quite common in Ohio, and abundant around San- 

 dusky Bay, in the marshes of which it obtains a rich supply 

 of food. Along the Cuyahoga bottoms it may often be 

 seen, and it no doubt breeds in these localities. 



The nest of this species is usually built on the ground, 

 and often within a few feet of the water level. The eggs. 

 usu lly four, are of a blueish white color, sometimes being 

 slightly sprinkled with small light brown spots. In form, 



