511 
THE AMERICAN ROUGH-LEG. _ 
timber of elm the only opportunity for shelter to be had for miles in either 
direction. Into the more prominent trees of this coveted timber on a late 
October afternoon came a large detachment of migratory Hawks, to the 
number of a thousand or so. No doubt the Swainson Hawks formed the bulk 
of the predatory host gone into camp for the night, but the most notable 
feature of the gathering was the variety of its constituent species. At least 
it seemed to an excited small boy that Hawks of every shape, size, and hue 
were seated before him, paying no attention to his presence, save to yawn as 
they reviewed the day’s long journey. Shades of Audubon! What a sight! 
But that was before the days of the Graflex. 
No. 207. 
AMERICAN ROUGH-LEG. 
A. O. U. No. 347a. Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis (Gmel.). 
Synonyms.—AMERICAN RoUGH-LEGGED Hawk. Roucu Lerccep Buzzarp. 
Description.—Adult, normal (light) phase: Head and neck all around 
white or flaxen, narrowly streaked with dark brown, sparingly on throat; re- 
maining upperparts dark brown or brownish fuscous, varied by ochraceous or 
ochraceous-buffy, marginal brownish gray and outcropping white; wing-quills 
not barred, at least on exposed surfaces, but grayish-edged and with much basal 
white on inner web; four outer primaries deeply emarginate; upper tail-coverts 
and basal portion of tail (usually for more than half its length) white; terminal 
portion of tail crossed by broad, subterminal band of dusky, and usually by 
several narrow, irregular or broken bands anterior to this; underparts whitish, 
or pale ochraceous-buffy, spotted or broadly streaked, chiefly on breast, with 
blackish; a loose broken band of dusky across belly; thighs often ochraceous; 
tarsi feathered to the toes, in front; feet yellow; bill and claws black. Jimmature, 
normal phase: Similar to adult, but terminal portion of tail plain grayish brown; 
primaries with basal white on external web; markings of underparts confluent 
on belly in a broad, unbroken, abdominal belt of deep brown; thighs spotted with 
dusky. Adult and immature, melanistic phase: Entire plumage black, in any 
degree, save that the tail is white-barred and primaries exhibit some basal white. 
This phase is quite common and seems to be independent of age, sex, or season. 
Both sexes, length: 19.50-23.50 (495.2-596.9) ; wing 15.75-18-00 (400.1-475.2) ; 
tail 9.00-11.00 ( 228.6-279.4) ; culmen from cere .80-.90 ( 20.3-22.9). Female about 
two inches longer than male and correspondingly proportioned. 
Recognition Marks.—Brant size; feathered tarsi distinctive ; best recognized 
in the field by its, usually, dark coloration and heavy flight; basal white of tail 
also distinctive if properly discriminated from that of the upper tail-coverts of 
the Marsh Hawk. 
Nesting.—Not known to breed in Washington. Nest: a bulky affair placed 
high in trees or on ledges of rock; of sticks, fairly well-lined with bark strips, 
