GREAT-FOOTED HAWK. 13 



one side of the middle (.54 the length of the egg from the smaller 

 end) ; ends very nearly equal, and not very pointed. The distri- 

 bution of the color in this is nearest of any of the four eggs 

 before me to that figured by Dr. Brewer, and only differs from it 

 in tint. One end (the smaller ?) is very light reddish, or reddish- 

 jyhite, becoming lighter from the middle towards this end, about 

 which it is the lightest, and thinly marked with irregular mottlings 

 of dark reddish chocolate, which present a very superficial grayish 

 tinge that is very characteristic ; the other end (the larger ?) is of 

 a uniform dark ferruginous-brown or dull-red ochre, varied towards 

 the middle by the appearance of the light ground-color between 

 the there scarcely confluent blotches of dark-brown that give the 

 uniform deep tint towards and about this end. 



" No. 3. Longer diameter, 2.32 inches ; shorter diameter, 1.70 

 inches : shorter diameter, .733 the longer. Form ovoid, the 

 smaller end elongated and much pointed. This egg is the longest, 

 and much larger in proportion to its diameter than either of the 

 others. The point of greatest diameter is .656 the length of 

 the egg from the smaller end. In this specimen, the contrast 

 between the ground-color and the markings becomes very strong : 

 the ground-color, which is seen chiefly in a broad band about the 

 middle of the egg, being white or reddish-white ; and the markings 

 very dark reddish-brown, nearly approaching purple, and are quite 

 uniformly distributed in blotches of various sizes, the largest being 

 near the larger end of the egg : the sub-markings are of a lighter 

 reddish-brown, and are more blended. 



"No. 4. Longer diameter, 2.16 inches; shorter diameter, 1.65 

 inches: shorter diameter, .765 the longer. Form regular ovoid, 

 the smaller end rather more pointed than the same in No. 1 ; point 

 of greatest transverse diameter .60 the length of the egg from the 

 smaller end. In this specimen, the contrast of the ground-color 

 with the markings is very striking, especially when compared with 

 specimens No. 1 and No. 2 ; and the most peculiar part is, that the 

 greater end of the egg, which in the eggs of most birds is the end 

 usually most subject to markings and to the greatest depth of color, 

 is white, sprinkled sparingly with reddish specks, while the smaller 

 end is deep, bright brick-red, here and there relieved by small 

 specks and patches of white ground-color. About the middle of 

 the egg, the colors are in more equal proportions ; the white patches 



