21(') 



NoltTII AMKiaCAN HIIUVS. 



into wliitisli; upper tiiil-i^ovcitH liii;,'cil wiili (Icliciitc rrcnin-rnlor (iinmiipiilato). Tail 

 with lour very lnoiiil liaiids nl' lilnck, llic iiitciVfiiiMLi spaces beiii;,' ilalk iiiiilicr on IIk; two 

 liiiddic lealliLT,-:, on llie olliers line riniianion-ucliii' ; ilic lip also (broaiil}') of lliis (.'olor. 

 Hiii-covciis iniilorMi lidi daiU siuill'-lirown, U'atiici a satiny IfXluri;; Icatiu'i's of liK'ial 



disiv llie sanii' I'cnii'ally, (•d;^cd willi lini^ di'cp iiilous, Knliii! Iowl'I' pails d(,'f(i iftldisli- 

 ochiaicous or I'nivons-rnl'ons, ^'lowini^ grachially paiur posteriorly; ininiaciilatc, willi tin' 

 ('.\i'c[iiion of a lew liiint lonyitnilinal .stripes on the broast nnd sidus. Under side of winj,' 

 as in till' last, iinl nnn-li linired with riifons. 



Il.vii. Kntirc! contini'nl of North Anuriia, sonlh to I'anania ; ('uha, and l^dianias. 



Localilius; Oaxaca (Sl'l. 18.'j!), 3U(I); Orizaba (Slx. IfoT, 2ilj; (iualeniala, winter 

 (ricL. Ibis, I, '2'2\) ; Cnba (Caii. Journ. II, Ixxxiii ; (jCndlauh, Ue|iert. IStio, li'JU, winter) ; 

 City of Mexico (Sii,. lS(i4, 17M); K. Texas (DuKssKii, Ibis, 180."), 'S2S, resideni); \V. 

 Arizona (CoLts; ; Bahamas (Uuvant, I'r. Uost. tioe. 18ti7, tioj ; Costa Uiea (,Lawu. IX, 

 l.M). 



LIST OF SCKCI.MKNS EXAMINED. 



National Mnseimi, 5.3 ; Musenin Conip. Zoul., 24 ; Boston Society, 8 ; Pliiladelphia 

 Academy, 10; Cab. of O. N. Lawieiico, 5; U. Uidgway, 0. Total, 100. 



Habits. Tlio Marsli Hawk is one, (d" the must widely tli.itributed birds of 

 Xorlli America, breeding from tiie fitr regiDiis around Hudson's liay to Texas, 

 and from Nova Scotia to Oregon and Ctdifornia. It is abundant cvery- 

 wliere, e.xceptino in the southeastern portion of the United States. Sir 

 •Tolin liiehardson sjieaks of it as so common on the plains of the Saskatche- 

 wan that seldom less than five or six are in sight at a time (in latitude T)')"). 

 Mr. Townseud found it on the plains of the Columbia Kiver and on the 

 l)rairi(,'s bordering on tiie Missouri. The Vincennes Exploring Expedition 

 olttained specimens in Oreg(jn. Dr. fiami)el and Dr. Heermanu found it 

 abundant in California. Dr. Suckley's party obtained specimens in Miniu!- 

 suta ; Captain IJeckwith's, in Utah; Captain Pope, Lieuteiiiiut Whipple, and 

 Dr. Homy, in New Mexico; and Lieutenant Couch, in Tamaulipas, Mexico. 

 Dr. Woodhouse met with it abundantly from the Mississippi River to the 

 Pacilic Ocean, througliout the summer, showing conclusively that it breeds 

 in those different sections of country. De la Sagra, Lembeye, and Dr. 

 (Itindlach, all give it as a bird of Culja, but not as breeding there. 



1 )all records it as very mre on the Yidcon, and an occasional summer visitor 

 only at St. ^richael's, where an individual was killed as late as November. 

 Donald (liinii states tliat it makes its appearance in the ftu' countries about 

 the opening of the rivers, and dei»arts about the beginning of November. 

 It ])reys upon small birds and mice, is Aery shjw on the wing, flies very low, 

 and in a uninner very different from all other kinds of Hawks. 



In Nova Scotia it is very abmidant, and is very destructive (jf young 



