312 RED-SHOULDERED HA WK. 



COLOR. Adult. Above, dark-brown everywhere, lightest on the bead and ablest on the wing? and tail, witii the 

 feathers on top <:f head, neck, back, and shoulders, edge! with yellowish-rufous which becomes (Julie reddish on the hitter. 

 The wings are barred with white and the tail is crossed with five bars of it and is tipped with thesame color. Sides of head 

 and throat, dusky, streaked with yellowish-rufous. Remaining under portions, yellowish, barred with deeper rufous and 

 more or less streaked on the breast and middle of body with dusky. 



Vaunt). Quite similar to the adult but with the outer webs of primaries edged with yellowish-rufous and the wings 

 are barred with. it. The tail is also rufous finely banded with dusky. There are no rufous bandings below but there are 

 broad drop-shaped marks of brown distributed over the entire surface. 



Yountj of the year. Similar to the young but there is much more rnfous above, excepting on the outer edges of prima- 

 ries, where there is less, and there is a stronger tinging of rufous beneatli. 



Nestlings. Are, at first, covered with a pale yellowish down, then gradually assume the plumage last described. Bill 

 and iris, brown, cere, greenish, and feet, yellow, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



There is considerable variation in plumage in specimens of the same age, some being much darker than others. There is 

 also a pale form with unmarked tibia. Florida birds are smaller and darker than those from the North. Readily known 

 by the four incised quills, feathering of the tarsus, and tints as described. Distributed, as a summer resident, from Canada 

 to Florida. Winters in Massachusetts and southward. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of female specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 21'94; stretch, 41'55; wing, 13'82; 

 tail, 8'50; bill, "95; tarsus, 2'75. Longe-t specimen, 24'00; greatest extent of wing, 43'12; longest wing, 14'75; tail, 9'0; 

 bill, '89; tarsus, 2'95. Shortest specimen, 19 05; smallest extent of wing, 39' 12; shortest wing, 13'05: tail, 7'50; bill, ''J2; 

 tarsus, 2'45. 



Average measurements of male specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 20-0!>; stretch, 35" 15; wing, 12'CO: 

 tail, 8'42; bill, '80; tarsus, 2'65. Longest specimen, 23'CO; greatest extent of wing, 38 00; longe-t wing, 12-50; tail, 9 75; 

 bill, '90; tarsus, 2'90. Shortest specimen, liVOO; smallest extent cf wing, 32'50; shortest wing, ll'OO; tail, 8'00; bill, '75; 

 tarsus, 2-23. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in trees; they are very bulky structures composed of sticks, twigs, and weeds, lined with strips of baik 

 and grass. 



Eggs, three or four in number, vaiying from spherical to elliptical in form, bluish-white in color, spotted and blotched 

 irregularly with brown and umber of vaiying shades. Dimensions from I'70x2'20 to I'80x2 30. 



HABITS. 



That civilization has an influence upon various members of the feathered tribes, has 

 been frequently shown in the preceding pages and the influence has, as a rule, been bene- 

 ficial, not only to the birds but also to man; but in the species now under consideration, 

 this is quite different. In former days, when the country was a wilderness, these Hawks 

 were contented to feed upon mice, frogs, lizards, snakes, and other vermin, seldom mo- 

 lesting birds for they are too slow in movement to capture them readily; but with the set- 

 tlement of the country, poultry-yards were introduced, and Red-shouldered Hawks were not 

 long in learning that the occupants could be as easily captured as the animals which had 

 hitherto formed their food. Thislesson, once learned, has never been forgotten and today, 

 there is not a more troublesome Hawk than the Red-shouldered. 



In the wilder sections, however, these Hawks still retain the primitive habits of their 

 ancestors; thus in Florida, I found them feeding upon small mammals, reptiles, crabs, and 

 other crustaceans. These birds were constantly resident in Florida and were of the .small 

 race, characteristic of the South, but in the vicinity of Jacksonville, during winter, I found 

 the larger northern form which were evidently migrants and which were as troublesome to 

 the planters as they are to the farmers, for they would steal chickens whenever a suitable 





