50 BIRDS OF PREY. 



species. Audubon considers it by no means a rare species 

 in Virginia, Maryland, and all the States to the eastward of 

 these. Its usual prey is small birds, very young poultry, small 

 quadrupeds, and insects. 



The Broad-wing occurs throughout this eastern faunal province, 

 but is somewhat local in distribution. In portions of the Maritime 

 Provinces it is abundant, though in general it is rather uncommon. 

 Mr. John Neilson considers it common near the city of Quebec, but 

 Mr. Ernest Wintle reports it rare at Montreal, while Mr. William 

 L. Scott thinks it the commonest Hawk in the Ottawa valley. Mr. 

 Thomas Mcllwraith gives it as a " casual visitor " to the southern 

 portions of Ontario, and Mr. Ernest Thompson found it abundant 

 in the Muskoka district. Thompson also reports it common in 

 Manitoba. 



In the more northern portions of New England it is a fairly 

 common summer visitor, while it is found in Massachusetts and 

 Connecticut throughout the year, but is rather rare. It occurs 

 also in more or less abundance in all the Middle, Western, and 

 Southern States. 



My observations in New Brunswick have led me to form a dif- 

 ferent opinion of the characteristics of this Hawk from those 

 expressed by several writers. The examples I met with were not 

 peculiarly void of either boldness or vigor in pursuit of their prey, 

 nor peculiarly spiritless when wounded. They did, of course, like 

 others of the tribe, pursue weak prey, and displayed little true 

 bravery ; but bravery is not a characteristic of the Hawks. A 

 wounded Broad-wing, however, acts just as does the boldest of 

 them, — he turns on his back and hits out with claws, beak, and 

 wings ; and the gunner who thinks he has a meek or spiritless bird 

 to handle may regret the thought. 



SHORT-TAILED HAWK. 



BUTEO BRACHYURUS. 



Char. Above, brownish black or blackish brown ; forehead and cheeks 

 white; tail brownish gray barred with black and tipped with white; 

 beneath, pure white, a patch of rufous on side of chest. Length i6 

 inches. 



Nest. In a tall tree ; made of dry twigs, lined with fresh twigs of 

 cypress. 



Eggs. 1-3 ; dull white, spotted on large end with reddish brown. 



