FALCONID.K-TIIK FAF-CONS. 279 



Atlantic to tliu Pacific coast it is replaced by the Ihitvo ilcr/ans. Mr. J. A. 

 Allen t'onnd it by far the most nlmndant iit' this t'aniily in Florida. In Texas 

 the two races, linratiis and i/iyaiis, appear to occur together, Mr. Dresser 

 havinti- met with both near San Antonio. The JJed-sliouldered Hawk 

 was noticed liy this writer from the rivi'r Xeuces eastward. He found 

 it breedini^ in tlie Iieavily wiunled river bottoms of the Medina, and 

 several others of tlie rivi^rs of Te.\as, but did not succeed in procuring the 

 eggs. It breeds abundantly in Florida, and thence throughout the I'nited 

 States as far north as Northern Vermont, Nova Scotia, and New Ihunswick. 

 Lieutenant I'dand notices it as a cmnmon and migratory species in Nova 

 Scotia, but Mr. Downes speaks of it as rare near Halifa.\, where he only 

 met with two specimens. Mr. l>oardman gives it as (|uite connnon near 

 Calais, breeding there and probably resident. In Western Elaine Mr. A'er- 

 lill regarded the si)ecies as a not very common summer resident, where it 

 was also known to lireed, as he met with its nest and eggs ^lay 1'4, JS(U). 

 It is (piite connnoii in Ea.stern .Massacluisetts, wliere it is found all tlie year. 

 l)ut where it is more abundant in the fall, I'rom the addition of northern 

 migrants, than at any other time. A few are found througliout the win- 

 tor, keeping about open s])rings and in sheltered situations. ^Ir. Allen also 

 sj)eaks of it as not uncommon in the western ^lart of the same State. It 

 was not taken or .seen by Kiclianlson in northern regions, nor does it ajjpear 

 to have been observed in any of the West India Islands. 



The history and habits of this very connnon Hawk .seem to have been 

 involved, among earlier writers, in a confusion that seems hardly explicable. 

 "Wilson described and always regarded tlie young and old as two distinct 

 specii's, calling the former ////(//("//s, giving to it a Udrthern residence, and the 

 mature bird liitcc/i's. Mr. Andulion repeated this error at first, and sought to 

 demonstrate its correctness by giving to tlie two forms very di.ssimilar habits. 

 JJonaparti! lielieved these forms to be identical, and Xuttall did the same, but 

 was altogether in error as to its distribution. He was not aware of its jires- 

 ence in ]Mas.sachnsetts, where it is at times the mo.st abundant of the rapto- 

 rial birds. This writer only met witli it in the Southern States, wliere 

 he found it very common in swamjjy situations. He sjieaks of its 

 liaving a quailing cry of nnitual recognition, whicli is a jdaintive echoing 

 note, like /.rr-an, whicli is continued with little intermission for nearly 

 twenty minutes. He descrilx's the sjiecies as not shy, and ns very liasily 

 ajiin-oached. These Hawks remain mated tln-oughout the year, and their 

 affectionate treatment of each other is in striking contrast with the seliish 

 indifference of the Iied-tail s[»ecies when their breeding-season is ended. 



Nuttall oltserved it feeding on frogs, cray-fish, and even insects, and 

 rarely troubling larger game. In only one instance did he see mie descend 

 upon a I'lover. Wilson saw them attack rk)ver, Sand-))ipers, Larks, and 

 even Hawks ; but the last is very rare and exceptional. I have never 

 known one of this species to molest the itoultry-yard. From 1S28 to l.S:>8, 



