198 THe Witson BULLETIN—Nos. 76-77. 
forth, still tending upward until almost out of sight, and with 
arrowy swiftness the gay fellow descends with long sweeps 
and curves, closing the act with a horizontal dash far over 
the woods and marshes.” 
A. B. Klugh, Guelph, Ontario, informs me that on Septem- 
ber 11, 1903, he observed a flock going through a performance 
never before or since witnessed by him. They were sailing 
around at various altitudes over a large “bush.” Every few 
minutes, one would close its wings, shoot down a sharp in- 
cline almost to the tree tops, and then swoop upwards again. 
As they checked their descent, they produced a tremendous 
noise almost like an’ explosion. This noise gave one the im- 
pression that he was about to be hit on the head, and it made 
him duck every time, even though aware of what produced it. 
Gentry thinks its flight recalls that of B. lineatus, and Saun- 
ders likens that of Archibutco lagopus sancti-johannis to it, in 
method of execution. 
Food. 
The rather sedentary Broad—wing most frequently waits for 
its prey while perched on a convenient stub or dead limb. A 
slight stir below and it bends forward with dilating pupils, 
cat-like, with twitching tail, swaying body, light foothold; it 
springs forward with marvelous quickness, snatching up the 
object with its talons; if its captive is not too heavy, it carries 
it to one of its favorite perches, there to devour it unless dis- 
turbed, when it reluctantly retires after a whistled protest. 
Very small mammals are swallowed whole, and the larger 
skinned and even the leg bones clean-stripped and left at- 
tached to the hide. Birds are plucked of primaries, rectrices 
and a few breast feathers, flinging them aside with a quick 
flirt of the bill; after tearing off and devouring the head, the 
body is ripped open and the intestines eaten, piece by piece the 
limbs and body follow. Large snakes, toads and frogs are 
usually skinned, and smaller ones torn in sections after the 
head has been disposed of. Crawfish are eaten piecemeal, and 
insects, spiders, etc., usually disappear intact. I have seen it 
fly toward its nest with a mouse dangling from a single 
