CIRCUS HUDSONIUS — THE MARCH HAWK. 241 



rather round, smooth, and an inch and three-quarters in 

 length. 



The food of this species consists of insects, frogs, mice, 

 and small birds, including quail and young ducks. Some- 

 times, when pressed by hunger and a good opportunity 

 offers, a young chicken may fall a victim. It cannot, how- 

 ever, be looked upon as a dangerous neighbor, and may, 

 possibly, do as much good as evil, in killing mice and other 

 vermin. 



The color of the adult is a pale greyish cinereous, some- 

 times almost blue, generally tinged with brown, or fuscous; 

 back of the head darker; upper tail coverts white; abdo- 

 men and the rest of the under parts white, usually spotted 

 with small heart shaped rusty brown markings. Tail slate 

 colored, with obscure brown bars; inner webs whitish; 

 under side white. Inferior wing coverts white. 



Young, brown, mixed with yellowish on the upper parts, 

 with white marks on the head and back neck. Tail brown, 

 barred with fulvous. 



The female measures from 20 to 21 inches in length, the 

 tail being 10 inches. The male from 15 to 18 inches, with 

 the tail from S^ to 9 inches. 



This includes all the Hawks, Eagles and Vultures known 

 to inhabit Ohio. Other species may occur occasionally, in 

 consequence of the occurrence of a very warm or very cold 

 season. In the former the more southern species may visit 

 us, in the latter those from the north. The Gyr Falcon — 

 Hierofaloo sacer — is said to have been captured at Louis- 

 ville, Ky., and, as this is a very beautiful and powerful 

 species, strictly northern in its habitat, building on the 

 rocks of Greenland, Labrador, and in the vicinity of Hud- 

 son's Bay, and not common even in Maine, its appearance 



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