THE FLORIDA EED-SHOULDEKED HAWK. 225 



of some shady tree. One can at this time often approach within a few feet 

 of them before they will fly. 



"This variety of the Red-shouldered Hawk seems to be much more 

 sociable than the northern species. I have often during the mating season 

 seen flocks, consisting of from two to four pairs of birds, playing together. 

 They chased one another around in apparent sport, circling through the air 

 and uttering their shrill calls after the manner of the Swallow-taileJ Kite. 



"Their food consists principally of mice, Florida rats, young rabbits, the 

 small gray squirrel found in this State, and probably an occasional frog or 

 small snake. A very few of the inhabitants of this locality chiefly those 

 that formerly lived in the North informed me that these Hawks would catch 

 domestic fowls. I have never seen an occurrence of the kind, although I 

 have lived for twelve winters and springs where both these birds and poultry 

 were common. 



"The eggs of this bird average considerably smaller than those of the 

 northern subspecies, being but little larger than those of the Broad-winged 

 Hawk. Undoubtedly in the majority of cases two is the number laid, as all 

 their nests, and I have examined a dozen or more, contained either two eggs or 

 two young birds, and most of the eggs found were partly incubated. Where 

 the same species of bird nests both in Florida and in the North, or where a 

 northern bird has a Florida variety, the eggs of the southern bird usually 

 average fewer in number and less in size, and there is less variation in the 

 numbers found in a set. 



"I could never distinguish any difference in the call notes of the Florida 

 Red-shouldered Hawk and the northern bird. Both use the same whistle 

 like 'whee-ee-e,' and the mated birds also assist each other in incubation. 

 They make much ado whe i disturbed at their nests, but generally take good 

 care not to come too near while these are being examined. I believe but a 

 single brood is raised in a season. I first noticed these birds mating during 

 the present season, about February 1, 1891. The earliest date of nesting 

 was February 20, and young birds just hatched were found by me on 

 March 20. 



"The following description of several nests will give a fair idea of their 

 mode of building. I found one on March 8, 1888, four miles east of San 

 Mateo, Florida, in a small cypress swamp. It was situated in a pine tree, in- 

 a crotch 57 feet from the ground, and was composed of sticks and lined with 

 pine needles, bits of pine and cypress bark, Spanish and green moss, and a 

 few feathers from the birds themselves. It contained two nearly fresh eggs. 

 Another, found on March 20, 1888, not far from the former locality, was placed 

 in the top of a cypress tree about 65 feet from the ground, and resembled the 

 first one in every respect, except that no Spanish moss was used in the lining 

 of the nest. It likewise contained two eggs, which were about one-fourth 

 incubated. On April 2, 1888, I found a third, about 6 miles southeast of 

 San Mateo, also near the edge of a small cypress swamp. This was placed 

 26957 Bull. 1 15 



