200 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



Hab. — Eastern North America, west to the Great Plains. 

 Nest, placed on a high tree, composed of sticks, twigs, grass, moss, etc. 

 Eggs, two to four, dull white, sometimes blotched with ricli brown of 

 different shades. 



Thi.s is a large and powerful bird, strong of wing and stout of 

 limb, but incapable of performing the feats of dexterity common to 

 the hawks and falcons. It is most frequently seen sitting bolt 

 upright on a stub in a field, or by the edge of the woods, carefully 

 scrutinizing the ground below in search of the small quadrupeds on 

 which it feeds. It is resident in Ontai'io, having been seen both in 

 summer and winter, but is )nost frequently observed during the 

 period of migration in spring and fall, from which it may be inferred 

 that many individuals spend the winter farther south. Occasionally, 

 in spring, this species may be seen singly, or in pairs, soaring to a 

 vast height, sailing round in wide circles, apparently enjoying the 

 warm sunshine and the return of life to the landscape below. 



The Red-tail breeds in Southern Ontario, is generally distributed 

 throughout the Province, and is included in the list of birds observed 

 by Prof. Macoun in the North- West. 



It is one of the " hen-hawks " which have generall}' been supposed 

 to live on game and poultr}^, Ijut recent investigations show that it 

 does not touch either, save when sorely pressed with hunger, and 

 then it will eat carrion sooner than starve. Its principal food con- 

 sists of the smaller mammals and reptiles, and this fact entitles it to 

 the protection of the farmer. It has been placed in Class h, for the 

 good it does is supposed .to be in excess of the evil. 



BUTEO BOREALIS CALURUS (Cass.). 

 U4. Western Red-tail. (-3376) 



Tlie extreme form is chocolate-l)rown or even darker, quite unicolor, with 

 rich red tail crossed by several black bars, from which the erythro-melanism 

 grades inseiisibly into ordinary horeal>j<. The usual case is increase over 

 ho7'ealis of dark rufous and dusky shades in bars and spots underneath, particu- 

 larly on the flanks and crissum. and presence of other than the subtermmal 

 ))lack bar on the tail. 



Hab. — Western North America, from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific, 

 south into Mexico, casually to Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan and Canada 

 West. 



Nesting habits and eggs identical with those of the common Red-tail. 



