224 LIFE HISTORIES OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



77. Buteo lineatus alleni Ridgway. 



FLORIDA KED-SHOULDERED HAWK. 



Buteo lineatus alleni Ridgway, Proceedings U. S. National Museum, vii, January 19, 



1884, 514. 

 (B _ C — , R — C — , U 339a.) 



Geographical range: South Atlantic and Gulf coasts; south from middle South 

 Carolina (along the coast only?) to Florida; west to southeastern Texas. 



The Florida Red-sliouldered Hawk is a smaller bird than the preceding 

 subspecies, and as far as yet known its breeding range is confined to Florida 

 and the extreme southern borders of the Gulf coast States, west to southern 

 and (occasionally) central Texas. 



Among an interesting collection of birds, made recently by Mr. J. E. 

 Benedict, along the South Atlantic coast in the vicinity of Charleston, South 

 Carolina, is a typical specimen of this form, shot near Georgetown, on Winyah 

 Bay, South Carolina, in about latitiide 33° 25', on January 4, 1891, extending 

 its range considerably to the northward, and probably the breeding range also. 



I am indebted to Dr. William L. Ralph for the following notes on this sub- 

 species: "Before the commencement of the disgraceful business of plume hunt- 

 ing which bids fair to exterminate many of the Florida birds, the little Sparrow 

 Hawk was the commonest bird of prey in that State, but since then its num- 

 bers have been growing rapidly less, and now this position is held by the sub- 

 ject of this article. 



" The- following notes were taken in St. Johns and Putnam Counties, where, 

 excepting that part of the former which borders on the* Atlantic Ocean, the 

 Floi'ida Red-shouldered Hawk is very common. In fact, I have seen very few 

 of these birds — and none during the breeding season — in the immediate vicinity 

 of either the east or west coast of this State. It is a resident species, and so far 

 as I can learn, if not molested, it seldom goes very far from the place where it 

 nests. There has been no apparent diminution in their numbers during the last 

 fifteen years, as they are seldom disturbed except in the vicinity of the main 

 routes of travel, where they are more or less shot at by tourists, who, by the 

 way, seem to be their only enemies. However, they will probably before many 

 years have to succiimb to the fate that is fast overtaking nearly all Florida 

 birds. 



"The localities where they are most commonly found are the flat pine 

 woods, and during the breeding season they frequent these inost of the time, 

 nesting in or near the small cypress swamps Avhich are very numerous in 

 these forests, building nearly always in pine and rarely in cypress trees. 

 At other seasons they wander more, and are often seen in the vicinity of 

 houses, but rarely far from their nesting places. During the time they are 

 sitting, these birds move around but little, when not in search of food, and 

 those not on their nests will u.sually be found perched sleepily on a branch 



