FALCONID.E — THE FALCONS. 207 



prairies ; hut it is not until tliu hottest weatlier of July and August that it 

 hecoi.'ies very abundiuit, at this tiuK! I'eoding chielly upon the large insects 

 which swarni among the rank prairie lierhage. Its jjarticular luod is a very 

 large spe "ies of Ciaalu, tliongii grasshojjpers, and occasionally small snakes 

 (as the species of Eiiionin, Lrptopliis cvstii-ii-% etc.), also loini part of its 

 food. Its ])rey is captured by s\vee]ting over the object and picking it up in 

 passing over, both tlie bill and feet being u.sed in grasping it ; the food is 

 eaten as the bird sails, in liroad circles, overhead. Mr. liidgway descriljes 

 the flight of this Kite as powerful and graceful in the extreme, and accompa- 

 nied by beautiful and unusual evolutions. 



According to Mr. Audubon, the nest of this .species is always placed in 

 the upper branches of the tallest trees. It resembles a dilajiidated Crow's 

 nest, and is constructed of sticks slightly put together, Spanish moss, strips 

 of pine bark, and dry leave.s. The eggs are three in nund)er, nearly globu- 

 lar, and are described by Mr. Audubon as of a light greenish tint, blotched 

 thickly over with deep chocolate-brown and black ; but the eggs thus de- 

 scribed are those of some totally dill'erent species. 



The same writer mentions tha. a pair of these Hawks, who.se nest was 

 visited by a negro sailor, manifested the greatest displeasure, and continued 

 flying with remarkable velocity close to the man's head, screaming, and dis- 

 playing the utmost rage. 



The description given by Mr. Audubon of the egg of this species, and 

 also that in my North American Oology, of the drawing of an egg said 

 to be of this bird, taken in Louisiana l)y Dr. Trudeau, do not correspond 

 with an egg in the cabinet of the Boston Society of Natural History, 

 for'Mcrly in that of the late Dr. Heiny Bryant. This egg measures 1.50 

 inches in lei.gth by l.:?2 in breadth, is very nearly globular, but is also 

 much more rounded at one end, and tapering at the other. It is entirely 

 rnispotted and of a uniform chalky M-hiteness, with an underlying tinge of a 

 bluish green. It was found by Mr. C. S. IMcCartliy in the Indian Territory, 

 on the north fork of the Canadian Eiver, June 25, 18tU. The nest was 

 made of a few sticks, and was in the fork of a horizontal branch, fifteen feet 

 from the grf)und. Tliere were two eggs in the nest. 



It was also found breeding by Mr. J. H. Clark at Trout Creek, Indian 

 Territory, June 21, and by Dr. E. Talmer at the Kiowa Agency (S. I. 

 13,534). 



Genus ROSTRHAMUS, Lesson. 



HoslrJuimns, Lrss. 1831. (Typr, Fidco InnmUiis, Ii.mg. ) 



Gen. Ciiau. Win<x.« ami tail largo, the latter einarginated. Bill very narrow, the 

 upper mandihlo iiiucli clonrrnted and lient, the tip forniinif a sitrons; pendent hook ; lower 

 niandihle drooping leriiiinally, the s'ony.s strai;jflit ; the upper ed^^e arched, to eorrespond 

 with the concavity of tlie rej;ular connnissure. No.stril elonjxato-oval, horizontal. Tarsu.s 



