R ED- TA 1LED HA VVX 309 



Yoiim/. Quite similar to the adult all >ve, but the tail Inoks the cinnamon, being light red, marked with twelve, or 

 c. Kin.!- . f.'ark-l.n wn. ]'--ni-ath. nearly white, witha alight tinge < t'y;-ll wish; nnst-enkingson the throat or briM-t, 

 li..t buii'lc 1 ;is in the udult. The til)!;! is nut streaked bat is baudud in spots WK!I i'.ark-brown. In these two stages, the 

 iris is i!ar!;-hruwii and feet arc jvlluw. 



Y i miii/ 1'/' /In i/'iir. N-.t unlike the young; darker above, especially on the tail, nnd shewing more reddish on the top 

 if the lu-ad. There isul-u a iMinr.l Boffiosion (-1 buil'lK-low, particularly i n the breast. 



A" .///;/.. -\i \>-ri-d with a pule reddish down, then gradually assume the plumage last described which is 



n-tai- ed for a year. In the last two stages, the iris is pale brownish-yellow and the feet are paloyelbw. In all stages, 

 tl.e biil is Mark and the cere, greenish. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



AHiou^h this sivi<-< varies greatly in the We-t, often as timing very dark colors, it is quite constant in this respect 

 in our pec i n. Tin; pun- ei:mamnn-red tail is usually charaeturi-tic of t'-e adult plumage but it is frequently barred with 

 Mark i;i >pi '( inii-iis w'/ic'i a.r fully adult. On the other hand, I am informed by Sir. William Perlmm of Tyngsb jrough , 

 who 1 a . 1>. \..::nd doubt 1 andled mure Hawks of fiis species than any one else, that lie has, on several occasions, taken the 

 y r.ti^ Ir.im thi-m-st v, i h ] .eriivtly red tails. Adult birds sometimes have the tibia unspotted. Tliis species may lx> rec- 

 u^iii/ il i.i all stages 1 y th,- 1 ir^c size, li^ht tints boneath, and other colors as described, tnget s er with the half feathered 

 tai -.;-. Dis;ril)jted, during summer, throughout Nurth America; wintering south of latitude 42^. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurement: of fomals specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 23'00, stretch, 47 - 00; wing, IG'OO; 

 tail, rt 7">; bill, 'J">; tai-su-, 3 '25. Longest specimen, 24'00; greatest extent of wing, 50'(X); longest wing, IT'OO; tail, 9'50; 

 Mil. r>"; tursus, a 0!). S ! '.ort-.-'-t specimen, 22 '00; smallest extent of wing, 4900; shortest wing, 15'00; tail, 8 00; bill, "90; 

 tar-u-. 3 .".II. 



A\ i-raire measurements of male specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 20'50; stretch, 47'00; wing, 14'50; 

 tail. T'.Vi; Kill. '0~>. tarsu<, d 95. Longest specimen, 21 00; greatest extent of wing, 48'00; longest wing, 15 00; tail, 8W; 

 bill, l-m; tarsus, 2''J.. Shortest specimen, 19 00; smallest extent of wing, 46 00; shortest wing, 14'00; tail, 7'00; bill, '90; 

 tarsus, 3'05. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in trees. They are bulky structures, composed of sticks and twigs, lined with leaves, weeds, and strips 

 of bark. 



Eyijs, three or four in number, varying from elliptical to oval ia form, bluis!:-w!iite in color, spotted and blotched with 

 bruvtu and urnber of varying s'.udes. Dimensions, fix-in 1 '65x2' 10 to I'80x2'25. 



HABITS. 



Many years ago, when Florida was a wilderness and but sparsely inhabited by the 

 whites, the Indians were accustomed to bum over large tracts of the piney woods in order 

 to form pasture grounds for the deer. Later, the settlers followed their example and in 

 the wilder portions, this is practiced at the present, time. The fire not only spreads over 

 the woodland but also encroaches upon the drier portions of the savannas and, as the grass 

 in these latter named sections form the refuge of many small mammals as well as reptiles, 

 there is a general stampede when the flames approach. Vultures and Hawks speedily be- 

 come aware of the fact, that their prey is much more easily obtained when the fires are 

 raginir, and consequently flock to the vicinity in numbers. The Red-tailed Hawks are 

 nearly always present upon such occasions; indeed, I do not remember of ever having seen 

 a fire of any extent in Middle and Northern Florida, when there were not one or more pairs 

 of these birds, circling around a short distance above the ground or plunging downward 

 through the smoke lo secure some animal which was endeavoring to save its life by flight. 



The Red-tailed Hawks spend only the winter in Florida for I do not think that any 

 remain to breed but, as spring approaches, they migrate northward, passing through Mass- 

 achusetts about the first week in April. In migrating, the Red-tailed Hawks move in 



