FALCONID.E — THE FALCONS. 



211 



sticks somewhat carelessly arranged. It was built upon the toj) of some 

 tall saw-gras.s, by which it was sujuiovtetl. Tliis gra.s3 was so luxuriant and 

 thick that it bore Mr. Maynard uj) as he sought to reach the nest, which did 

 not contain any ogns. On the 24th of March, Mr. Maynard discovered an- 

 other nest (jf this .species. It 

 was built in a bush of the Mug- 

 nolia glaum, and was about four 

 feet from the water. It con- 

 taiued one egg. It was about 

 one foot in diameter, was t^uitc 

 flat, and was composed of sticks 

 carelessly arranged, and lined 

 with a few dry heads of the 

 saw-grass. The female was shot, 

 and found to contain an e'"» 

 nearly ready for exclusion, but 

 as yet unspotted. Other eggs 

 were sul)sequently procured 

 through the aid of Seminole In- 

 dians, by whom this Hawk is 

 called So-for-fu n i-lar. 



The usual number of eggs laid 

 by this Kite is supposed to be 

 two, as in three instances no 

 more were found, and this was 



said to be their complement by the Indians. It also appeared to l)e some- 

 what irregular in the time of depositing its eggs. 



This Ilawk is described as very sociable in its habits, unlike, in this re- 

 spect, most other birds of prey. Six or eight specimens were frequently 

 seen Hying together, at one time, over the marshes, or sitting in company on 

 the same bush. In their flight they resemble the common Marsh Hawk, 

 are very unsuspicious, and may l>e quite readily approached. The dissection 

 of the specimens showed that this bird feeds largely on a s]iecies of iresh- 

 water shell {Pomits dcprcsm of Say). 



The egg of this species taken in Florida by Mr. Maynard is of a rounded 

 oval shape, eciually obtuse at either end, and measures 1.70 inches in length 

 by 1.45 in breadth. The ground-color is a dingy white, irregularly, and in 

 some parts profusely, blotched with groups of markings of a yellowish brown, 

 shading from a light <}li\e-brown to a much duller color, almost to a black 

 hue. These markings in the specimen seen are not grouped around either 

 end, but form a conlluent belt around the central portions of the egg. The 

 following description is given by Mr. Maynard of the other specimens taken 

 by him. 



Egg No. 1. Ground-color bluish-white, spotted and blotched everywhere 



Eostrhamus sofiabilis (young). 



