BIRDS OF INDIANA. 789 



75. GEKUS ARCHIBUTBO BREHM. 



138. (347a). Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis (GMEL.). 



American Rough-legged Hawk. 

 Synonym, BLACK HAWK. 



Legs, densely feathered in front and on sides down to base of toes. 

 Width of bill at corners of mouth, 1.35-1.45 inches; head and neck, 

 whitish, streaked with dusky. Above, irregularly varied with white, 

 grayish, dusky or rusty; base of tail and feathers covering its upper 

 surface, white; broad band near end of tail, grayish or dusky; below, 

 whitish, usually with a band of dusky across front. Specimens are 

 sometimes nearly uniform black. 



Length, 19.50-33.50; wing, 15.75-18.00; tail, 9.00-11.00. (Fisher). 



RANGE. North America, north of Mexico, breeding north of the 

 United States (excepting Alaska), from about latitude 49; Quebec 

 northward. 



Nest, jn trees or on rocks, of sticks, grass and weeds. Eggs, 2-5; 

 greenish or dingy-white, streaked or spotted and blotched with various 

 shades of dark and light brown, ochraceous and drab; 2.31 by 1.74. 



Winter visitor of irregular occurrence; usually rare, except along 

 the western side of the State, where it is more or less common. Some 

 winters they are very abundant throughout the State. Each fall 

 these birds come into the United States from their breeding grounds, 

 far to the north, like an army. They axe most numerous in the prairie 

 districts, and the extension of their range depends upon food and 

 weather conditions. In the vicinity of Chicago, Cook County, 111., and 

 Lake County, Ind., it is, during winter, the most common of the larger 

 hawks. (J. G. Parker, Jr.). 



In Knox County, Ind., it is usually common at the same season 

 (Chansler). To the south and east of the Wabash Kiver it is unusual 

 to find them, but when they do appear it is almost always in some 

 numbers. The winter of 1894-5 they extended their range as far as 

 Boone County, where they were found in numbers. 



Mr. J. E. Beasley wrote me, January 8, 1895, that he then had in his 

 office at Lebanon six specimens, all from Boone County. One was 

 taken near Greencastle, October 21 or 22, 1894 (Black). 



The winter of 1886-7 they accompanied the great multitude of 

 rapacious birds that spread over the States north of the Ohio River. 

 They appeared in the southeastern counties of Indiana in December 

 arid remained until near April 1. Thirteen were reported from De- 

 catur and Rush counties. They were equally abundant in Franklin. 

 Some of the specimens in my collection, obtained that winter, repre- 



