AMERICAN ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK 

 347a. Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis. 22 in. 



Legs feathered to the toes. Adults blackish on the 

 back and belly; head and breast, more or less grayish- 

 white, streaked with dusky; tail white, barred on the 

 end with black; eyes brown. In the dark phase they 

 are blackish-brown, more or less mixed with rusty. 

 This large, heavily-built species is found in the United 

 States, only in winter; it frequents thinly wooded dis- 

 tricts or meadows, where it catches its prey, which 

 consists of small rodents, insects and reptiles. It is 

 very irregular in its appearance, especially in the east, 

 but it is most often found near the coast. It is a 

 sluggish species and I doubt if it does any harm to 

 wild birds or to poultry; it certainly does a great deal 

 of good. 



Nest. Of sticks, on rocky ledges; eggs bluish- white, 

 boldly splashed with brown.' (1.90x1.55). 



Range. Breeds north of the United States border; 

 winters in northern United States. 



