264 HISTORY OF THE 



Audubon was the first to discover this bird, and he speaks of 

 it as superior in flight and more daring than the Red-tailed 

 Hawk; but from my limited observation it does not appear to 

 differ either in flight, actions or habits. In the craws and stom- 

 achs of the four killed at Neosho Falls, I did not find a feather. 

 They were chiefly filled with the remains of rabbits. Its nest 

 and eggs are unknown. 



Buteo lineatus (GMEL.). 



RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. 

 PLATE XVI. 



Resident; common in the eastern part of the State. Begin 

 laying in March. 



B. 25. R. 439. C. 520. G. 206, 123. U. 339. 



HABITAT. Eastern North America; north to Nova Scotia 

 and Manitoba; west to the edge of the Great Plains; south to 

 the Gulf coast. 



SP. CIIAB. Outer webs of primaries distinctly spotted with white, buffy or 

 ochraceons; tail uarrowly banded with white, buffy or ochraceous, lesser wing 

 coverts more or less rusty. Adult: Head, neck and lower parts more or less 

 rusty, or cinnamon, the first two streaked with dusky, the posterior lower 

 parts more or less barred or transversely spotted with whitish; quills and tail 

 black, the former spotted on outer webs with white, the latter crossed by about 

 six nairow bauds of and tipped with the same. Young: Head, neck and lower 

 parts buffy or dull whitish, streaked and striped or longitudinally spotted with 

 dark brownish; quills and tail dusky, the former extensively spotted on basal 

 portion of outer webs with buffy or ochraceous, the latter crossed by numerous 

 narrow bands of dull buffy or pale grayish brown ( the more anterior ones more 

 ochraceous). Downy young: Uniform dull grayish white. Adult with head 

 and neck distinctly rusty; rufous or rusty of anterior lower parts (chest and 

 breast) usually distinctly barred or transversely spotted with white. Young: 

 Lower parts usually with whitish predominating, and basal half of outer webs 

 of quills extensively ochraceous, buffy or whitish. (Ridgway.) 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. Cere. 



Male 18.50 39.00 12.50 8.50 3.10 .80 .45 



Female... 21.00 43.00 13.60 9.25 3.20 .90 .50 



Iris brown; bill and claws dark horn blue; light at base; 

 cere, legs and feet dark yellowish green. 



This robust species inhabits the woodlands, where it feeds 

 chiefly upon squirrels, rabbits, mice, moles, lizards, etc. It 

 occasionally drops upon an unlucky Duck or Bob-white, but is 



