26 THE HAWKS AND OWLS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



able localities tlirough tlie middle and soutlierii parts of the State. 

 When tlie bird lias captured one of these mollusks it flies to the nearest 

 perch and removes the meat from the shell with apparent ease and with- 

 out injuring the latter. While collecting food it often secures Hve or 

 six before returning to the nest, keeping in its gullet the parts it has 

 extracted for tbe young. 



So far as at present known the Everglade Kite can not be said to 

 have any economic value, since the mollusk, which api)ears to consti- 

 tute its sole food, does not seem to be in any way injurious. If not 

 positively beneficial, however, it at least may be claimed for this kite 

 that it does absolutely no injury to man, and consequently should never 

 be wantonly destroyed. 



By tbe first of Marcli, or in some cases a little sooner, it begins to 

 build. The nest is usually situated in some low bush or among a dense 

 growth of saw grass, rarely if ever more than a couple of feet above 

 the water. It is a flat structure, often composed of small sticks loosely 

 placed together and sometimes receives an incomplete lining of dry saw 

 grass. The eggs are two or three in number, two being more common. 

 It is a very unsuspicious bird and may be approached easily while on a 

 perch, or may pass within close range of a person as it beats over the 

 meadows. Its flight is said to resemble more closely that of the Marsh 

 Hawk than that of any other of the rapacious birds. 



DESCRIPTION. 



upper j)art of bill forming a slender lengthened hook. Five outer 

 wing feathers cut out on the inner web. 



Color: Uniform slate color, becoming nearly black on outer wing- 

 feathers and tail; head and neck with more or less of a chalky cast; 

 base of tail and feathers covering it, white. 



Length: 16 to 18 inches (400 to 457 ™"'); extent, 44 to 46 inches 

 (1L17 to 1108 ">™); wing, 12.90 to 14.25 inches (328 to 362'"™) 5 tail, 

 7.20 to 8.50 inches (182 to 210 •"■"). 



MARSH HAWK. 



V Circus hudsonius. 

 [Plate 3 — Adult male, immature female.] 



Tliis well-known hawk inhabits the whole of Korth America, breed- 

 ing north to Alaska and the fur countries, and wintering from about lati- 

 tude 40°]Sr., southward to Panama and Cuba. A representative species 

 ( Circus cyaneus) occurs throughout most of temperate Europe and Asia, 

 wintering in the more southern portions as well as in northern Africa. 



Tlie Marsh Hawk breeds in suitable localities everywhere from the 

 southern border of the United States to the northern limits of its range, 

 but is most common through the prairie country of the West. In the 



