FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 197 



east of Louisiana. It migrates in flocks, sometimes flying within gun- 

 shot, and at others so far above the earth as to be almost beyond the 

 bounds of vision. 



330. Bostrhamus sociabilis ( Vieill.}. EVERGLADE KITE ; SNAIL- 

 HAWK. Ad. Dark slate-color ; under, and longer upper tail-coverts, and base 

 of the tail white, tip of the tail whitish ; upper mandible much lengthened 

 and hooked. Im. Upper parts black, tipped with rufous ; under parts barred 

 and mottled with rufous, black, and bufty ; tail as in the adult. L., IS'OO; 

 W., 14-00 ; T., 7-75 ; B., 1-20. 



flange. Breeds from middle Florida southward to the Argentine Republic. 



Nest, in bushes, among reeds or tall grasses. Eggs, two to three, pale blu- 

 ish white, heavily spotted, blotched, or washed with cinnamon or chocolate, 

 1-85 x 1-47. 



This species is a summer resident in southern Florida. It arrives 

 from the south in February. Mr. W. E. D. Scott writes of it as ob- 

 served at Lake Panasofkee, Florida : " Their food at this point appar- 

 ently consists of a kind of large, fresh-water snail, which is very abun- 

 dant, and the local name of ' Snail-Hawk ' is particularly applicable 

 to this bird as 1 have met with it. They fish over the shallow- water, 

 reminding one of Gulls in their motions ; and having secured a snail 

 by diving, they immediately carry it to the nearest available perch, 

 where the animal is dexterously taken from the shell without injury 

 to the latter " (Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, vi, 1881, p. 16). 



331. Circus hudsonius (Linn.'). MARSH HAWK ; HARRIER. Ad. $ . 

 Upper parts gray or ashy ; upper tail-coverts white ; tail silvery gray, irregu- 

 larly barred or marked with blackish ; upper breast pearl-gray ; the lower 

 breast and belly white, spotted or barred with rufous. Ad. 9 . Upper parts 

 fuscous, the head and neck streaked, and the wing-coverts spotted or margined 

 with rufous ; longer upper tail-coverts white ; middle tail-feathers barred with 

 ashy and black, others barred with ochraceous-buff and black ; under parts 

 ochraceous-buff, widely streaked on the breast and narrowly streaked on the 

 belly with fuscous or light umber. Im. Similar to the 9 , but somewhat 

 darker above; the under parts darker, almost rufous; the belly without 

 streaks. $ L., 1900; W., 13-75; T., 9-00; B. from N., -00. 9 L., 22-00; W., 

 15-00; T., 10-00. 



flange. North America in general, south to Panama. 



Washington, common W. V., July to Apl. Sing Sing, tolerably common 

 S. R., Mch. 6 to Oct. 30; a few winter. Cambridge, common T. V., Mch. 15 

 to Apl. 15; Sept. and Oct. ; a few breed. 



Nest, on the ground, in marshes. Eggs, four to six, dull white or pale 

 bluish white, 1'75 x 1-40. 



This Hawk is essentially a bird of the unwooded country, and we 

 might as well look for a Grouse in the open marsh as for a Harrier in 

 the thick woods. It flies low, and may be easily identified by the large 



