LIST AND DESCRIPTION 81 



Harding County, which is the northwestern corner county of 

 the State. 



Length about thirty inches; head and neck bare, with 

 red skin; balance of body brownish black, except under wings 

 and tail, where it is grayish. 



Their food consists entirely of carrion, so that they are of 

 inestimable value as scavengers. 



Farther south they usually nest in hollow logs, but in 

 our State they use shelves under overhanging cliffs in the bad- 

 lands. Eggs usually two, white, and somewhat larger than that 

 of the domestic Chicken. 



One noticeable characteristic in the flight of this bird is 

 its ability to sail or soar for hours with very few wing move- 

 ments. 



326. BLACK VULTURE (Gatharista urubu.) 



Sometimes called Carrion Crow. This Vulture is a rare 

 straggler during the summer in South Dakota. Although some- 

 what shorter than the preceding it is heavier in weight. Head 

 and neck bare, with black skin ; balance of body black. 



FAMILY BUTEONIDJE. KITES, HAWKS, EAGLES 



327. SWALLOW-TAILED KITE (Elanoides forficatus.) 



A rare visitor in our State during the summer months. 

 Length about twenty-four inches, but the long, forked tail com- 

 prises over half ; head, neck and under parts white ; back, wings 

 and tail bluish black. Their food consists of large insects and 

 snakes. 



331. MARSH HAWK (Circus hudsonius.) 



A very common Hawk and well distributed over th^ 

 State. The male is about twenty inches long; above, bluish 

 gray, with the ends of the long wings much darker; throat and 

 breast ashy gray; belly white; tail usually with seven dark 

 bands. Female about twenty-two inches long; above, dark 

 brown, sometimes mixed with cinnamon or whitish spots ; under 

 parts whitish streaked with brown. The young resemble the 

 female but are usually darker. A distinguishing mark of the 

 Marsh Hawk is its white rump, plainly seen as the bird flies 



