Plate XLIX. 



Fig 4. BUTEO BORE/\US-Red-tailed Hawk. 



The Red-tailed Hawk, or Hen Hawk, is a very common and well-known bird. It builds its nest in 

 March, or earlier. The young are generally hatched about the 20th of April. But one brood is reared 

 by each pair during the season. 



LOCALITY : 



The nest is always placed in a tree, generally at the edge of thick woods, but sometimes in the in- 

 terior. Occasionally an isolated tree, or one in very open timber-land is selected for the site. The large 

 sycamores in river bottoms furnish secure and favorite situations. 



POSITION: 



The nest is generally situated near the top of the tree, in a perpendicular crotch formed by two or 

 more branches; but, sometimes, it is built at the bifurcation of a horizontal limb, and is held in posi- 

 tion by small perpendicular twigs. It is not often within fifty feet of the ground; and, ordinarily, is as 

 much higher as the selected tree will permit, 



MATERIALS: 



Rough sticks compose the bulk of the nest. These arc crossed and tangled into a large and firm 

 platform, concave on top, between two and three feet in diameter, and from a few inches to a foot or 

 more in depth. The lining consists of corn-husks, corn-silk, strips of grape-vine bark, feathers, leaves, 

 weed-stems, and like material. The concavity of some nests is well lined, and measures several inches 

 in depth; in others it is poorly lined, and but slightly concave. 



EGGS: 



The complement of eggs is commonly three; occasionally one more or less. They measure in long- 

 diameter from 2.15 to 2.60, and in short-diameter from 1.80 to 2.00 inches. The majority of eggs are 

 between 2.30 and 2.50 in lorrg-diameter, and between 1.85 and 1.95 in short-diameter. The ground-color 

 is either chalky white, a light tint of yellowish-brown, or, as is generally the case, dirty, or soiled 

 white. Some eggs are unmarked. Some are marked with indistinct blotches and spots of ochre; and 

 others are variously blotched, spotted, and speckled with reddish-brown or yellowish-brown. One egg in 

 my cabinet is unmarked, except by indistinct clouds of yellowish-brown. One is marked principally 

 about the point, by a number of large, bold blotches of ochre. One has seven large blotches, and about 

 twice as many spots of reddish-brown, besides a blotch of ochre about an inch in diameter, and a num- 

 ber of rather distinct, purplish deep shell-marks. And one is sparingly marked by small round blotches 

 of yellowish-brown. The shell of the egg is granular, often even quite rough. The blotches, except the 



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