516 Smyth, Birds of Montgomery County, Va. Loct. 



61. Buteo lineatus lineatus. Red-shouldered Hawk. — While 

 most abundant during the months of November, December, and February 

 I have records for this hawk for practically every month in the year. 

 Specimens that I have killed had frogs and salamanders, and insect re- 

 mains — principally grasshoppers — in their stomachs. I have a number 

 of breeding records for this locality. 



62. Buteo platypterus. Bkoad-winged Hawk. — Not uncommon 

 from May 7 to September 25; breeds. I saw a flock late in September 

 all flying southwest; they were single, in pairs, and threes, fourteen alto- 

 gether, and strung out for some distance. Occasionally one would circle 

 for a time, and then resume the line of flight. I have come across a pair 

 in the woods in the late spring, near the tree evidently chosen as a nesting 

 site, from which they valiantly attacked and drove away a Red-shouldered 

 Hawk; I was attracted at this time, and since, by their whining call, which 

 at first I thought was a boy whistling. An incubating female was brought 

 to me on May 18 by a farmer, who said that it had a nest in a large oak tree 

 near his home, and that it was killing his chickens, and that he had shot 

 it just after it had eaten a chicken. I skinned it and opened the stomach 

 in his presence, and showed him, to his astonishment, that its crop con- 

 tained the remains, easily distinguishable, of a young rat. I visited the 

 nesting place with the intention of obtaining the eggs, but found the nest 

 nearly seventy feet up in an enormous white oak, whose main trunk was 

 fully five feet in diameter, and so gave it up, as 1 had no climbing irons. 



63. Aquila chrysaetos. Golden Eagle. — An irregular fall and 

 winter visitor. Nine specimens recorded, of which I have actually handled 

 six. I have one record for August 15. My other records being in No- 

 vember, December, and February. A female, brought to me in December, 

 measured seven feet, one and one-half inches in extent; this was a young 

 bird. One old male, in fine plumage, I secured on December 1. It had the 

 nape of a deep rich gold, and the tail was fully barred. 



64. HalisBetus leucocephalus leucocephalus. Bald Eagle. — 

 Rare. I have handled two specimens in the dark, immature plumage, 

 secured in January and December, and saw one adult, with white head and 

 tail, soaring over the campus, at a great height. 



65. Falco peregrinus anatum. Duck Hawk. — One specimen only, 

 seen in October. 



66. Falco columbariuscolumbarius. Pigeon Hawk. — One freshly 

 killed specimen was brought to me in September, the skin of which is now 

 in my collection. 



67. Falco sparverius sparverius. Sparrow Hawk. — Practically a 

 resident and breeds. Noted every month in the year; they frequent the 

 ivy-covered buildings on the campus, feeding on English Sparrows. The 

 stomach and crop of one individual shot on the campus were densely packed 

 with crickets. A family of fully fledged and flying young seen as late as 

 July 17. 1 saw one catch a young Robin and perch with it on a telephone 

 pole near one of the buildings, and calmly eat its capture in contempt of the 

 onslaught of several excited adult Robins. 



