150 LAND BIRDS 
show them to have eschewed everything with feathers, 
and to have dined upon small snakes, lizards, frogs, in- 
sects, and crawfish. Fur and feathers are caught only 
as a last resort, when there are hungry young in the 
nest. 
The Red-bellied Hawk is exceptionally fond of bath- 
ing, and in California it usually builds within a hun- 
dred yards of water. Both adults indulge in a daily 
bath, returning to the same place at about the same hour 
for it. The nest is placed in a tree or giant cactus; it 
is composed of twigs with leaves and usually lined with 
leaves and feathers. This hawk utters a shrill, high 
scream when molested, but does not offer to fight unless 
the intruder be a bird or snake. Incubation lasts thirty- 
one days. 
342. SWAINSON HAWK. — Buteo swainsoni. 
Famity: The Falcons, Hawks, Eagles, ete. 
Length: Male 12.50-20.00 ; female 21.00-22.00. 
Adult Male: Upper parts dark grayish brown ; forehead, chin, throat, 
and under parts white, except a sharply defined reddish brown chest 
band ; belly often barred or spotted with brownish ; tail a brownish 
gray, crossed by 9 or 10 narrow dusky bands. 
Adult Female: Similar to male, but chest band grayish brown instead 
of reddish brown. 
Melanistic Phase: Both sexes uniform rusty black ; many gradations 
are found between this black phase and the normal plumage. 
Young: Tail as in adult ; upper parts sooty brown, varied with yellow- 
brown ; under parts and head streaked brown and black. 
Geographical Distribution: From the arctic regions to South America, 
from the Pacific to the Eastern States. 
California Breeding Range: San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys, and 
the San Diegan district. 
Breeding Scason:; May. 
as 
