HAWKS 233 



Genus ARCHIBUTEO Brehm. 



347a. Archib^iteo lagvpus sancti-johannis (Gmel.). Ameri- 

 can Rough-legged Hawk; Black Hawk. 



Plumage of adults in light phase : fuscous brown above, margined with 

 ochraceous buff or whitish ; basal part of tail whitish and the outer portion 

 with two to four whitish bars ; below whitish, streaked and spotted with 

 black, on the belly a broken band of black. Black phase of plumage: 

 blackish or black, the primaries and tail barred with whitish. Immature 

 plumage : tail not barred, white tipped ; under parts heavily marked with 

 black and a continuous broad black band across the belly ; otherwise very 

 similar to the adult in light phase. Wing 16.00 to 18.00. The feathered 

 tarsi as well as strongly dark marked under parts are points to determine the 

 species by. 



Geog. Dist. — Breeding from north of the St. Lawrence River northward 

 into Arctic regions; wintering southward through the United States to 

 Virginia. 



County Records. — Androscoggin ; fairly common winter resident, (John- 

 son). Cumberland; rare winter visitant, (Brown, C. B. P. p. 22); one 

 November 4, 1901, (Lord). Franklin; rare, (Richards). Knox; winter, 

 (Rackliff) . Oxford ; common at Norway in winter, ( Verrill's List) . Penob- 

 scot; rare winter visitor, or some seasons common, (Knight). Piscataquis; 

 rare, (Homer). Sagadahoc; a few in fall and early winter, (Spinney). 

 Somerset; a mounted specimen is in my collection from Spencer Stream, 

 (Carpenter, Me. Sportsman, November, 1898, p. 20). Washington; very rare 

 winter resident, (Boardman). 



Rarely a few are seen as early as late October, but the chief 

 period of occurrence of this species is from November through 

 March, they being perhaps most frequently taken in November. 

 While usually rare a few are taken in various portions of the 

 State every winter, and some seasons at very rare intervals they 

 are even locally common judging by the considerable numbers 

 sometimes received at various taxidermists shops. 



Two to five eggs are said to be laid, and the nests are usually 

 built on cliffs, or occasionally in trees. Three eggs in my 

 collection from Labrador were taken at Tessiujak, May 30, 

 1895. They are pale greenish white, spotted and blotched 

 rather heavily with umber and brown and with fainter dots of 

 lavender, and measure 2.18 x 1.73, 2.23 x 1.69, 2.14 x 1.70. 

 The nest was composed of twigs, lined with grass and a few 



