Birds of Pennsylvania. 87 



these destructive little rodents were obtained from the crop and 

 stomach of one Hawk. 



339. Buteo lineatus (Gmel.), 



Red Shouldered Hawk. 



Description. 



Adult. — Wing coverts, from its flexure to the body, fine bright rufous ; breast and 

 other lower parts of the body paler orange rufous, many feathers with transverse 

 bars and spots of white, which predominate on the abdomen and under tail coverts 5 

 entire upper pai'ts reddish-brown ; on the head mixed with rufous, and with uhite 

 spots on the wing coverts and shorter quills and rump ; quills brownish-black, with 

 white spots on their outer webs, and with bars of a lighter shade of brown and of 

 white on their inner Avebs; tail brownish-black, with about five transverse bands of 

 white and tipped with white ; bill blue-black ; cere and feet yellow ; iris brown. 



Yoiinfi. — Entire under parts yellowish-white, with longitudinal stripes and oblong 

 spots of dark-brown ; throat dark-brown ; upper parts lighter ashy-brown, with 

 many partially concealed spots and bars of white; quills dark-brown, with wide 

 transverse bars of rufous and white on both webs ; tail ashy-brown, witli numerous 

 bands, pale-brownish and rufous white ; tail beneath silvery-white ; legs and feet 

 greenish-yellow. 



Total length : Female, 21 to 23 inches; extent, about 44 inches; wing, 14; tail, 9 

 inches. Male, 18 to 20 inches ; extent, about 40 ; wing, 12 ; tail, 8 inches. 



Hab. — Eastern North America, west to Texas and the plains, south to the Gulf 

 Coast and Maine. 



During the winter these Hawks frequent principally the large water 

 courses, meadow-lands, and the vicinity of ponds, and not unfre- 

 quently an individual of this species can be observed on its perch 

 overlooking a spring-head. When the streams and meadows are 

 frozen, I have noticed that they especially resort to such localities as 

 last named. When disturbed from its perch it utters, in a plaintive 

 and impatient voice, the note, keeo, keeo. Its flight, which is generally 

 short, is graceful and very owl-like. This Hawk, like its relative, the 

 Red-tail, may be observed sitting by the hour on some favorite tree 

 or stake adjacent to swampy or boggj^ ground, watching for small 

 quadrupeds and batrachians, which constitute its principal fare. Al- 

 though this species is a native in this State it has never been my 

 good fortune to find a nest. 



From '• Birds of Connecticut,'" by Doctor William Wood, the follow- 

 ing mention of the nest, eggs and habits is taken : 



" Nidification commences soon after their arrival from the south. 

 Oviposition usually occurs from the middle of April to the first of 

 May. In one instance I took eggs on the first day of April that had 

 been incubated at least a week, and then, again, I have taken them 

 as late as the middle of May. More eggs can be obtained of this bird 

 in this vicinity than of any other of our Bapacia, and I think it may 

 safely be said, all others. The nest is usually placed in the fork of a 



