418 BIEDS — FALCONID^. 



it in his catalogue on the authority of Dr. Sager, who had taken it in 

 the Maumee Valley. Mr. Read does not name it. Mr. Kirkpatrick says, 

 " it is quite coromon in Ohio and abounds around Sandusky Bay, in the 

 marshes of which it obtains a rich supply of food. Along the Cuyahoga 

 bottoms it may often be seen, and it no doubt breeds in these localities." 

 Mr. Dury has found it breeding at the Mercer county Reseryoir. Mr. 

 Langdon gives it as a rare spring and fall migrant in the Ticinity of 

 Cincinnati. In the vicinity of Columbus it was once rather common, and 

 bred in the swamp prairies south of the city. A few remained here 

 during the winter but they were more numerous in summer. Now it is 

 comparatively rare ; in tome seasons none are seen. It is always found 

 in the vicinity of water, and at present is most frequently seen in late 

 summer or early fall, sweeping slowly over the bottoms in pursuit of 

 mice, birds and large insects. 



The nest of the Marsh Hawk difiers from that of all others of the 

 family, breeding with us, in being placed on the ground. It is composed 

 of scant materials or none, and contains from three to six eggs. These 

 are dull white more or less shaded with green or blue, often spotted with 

 different shades of brown, lilac and lavender. They measure about 1.80 

 by 1.45. 



Genus ELANOIDES. Vieillot. 



Bill moderately strong. Nostrils broadly oyal. Wings long and pointed ; tail long, 

 deeply forked ; feet, small ; tarsi reticulate, feathered half way down In front ; toes 

 barely webbed. 



Elanoides FOKFicATtJS (L.) Ridgway. 



SwaUo-w-tailed ICite. 

 Falco furcatua, Wilson, Am. Orn., vi, 1812, 70.— Kibtland, Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1838, 161, 



178.— Bead, Fam. Visitor, iii, 1852, 228; Proc, Aoad. Nat. Sei., Phila., vi, 1853, 



395. 

 Naiwlerus furcatuB, Kibkpatbick, Ohio Farmer vii, 1858, 363. — Whbaton, Ohio Agric. 



Eep. for 1860, 361; Reprint, 1861,3; Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agrie. Rep. for 1874, 



570; Reprint, 1875, 10.— Langdon, Cat. Birds of Cin., 1877, 12; Journ. Gin. Soo. 



Nat. Hist,, i, 1878, 116. 

 Elanoides forficatus, Whbaton, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, iv, 1877, 12. — Langdon, Revised 



List, Journ. Cin.Soo. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 180 ; Reprint, 14. 

 Swallow-tailed Hawk, Kiktland, Fam. Visitor, i, 1850, 1. 



Falco forfioatus, Linn^tjs, Syst. Nat., i, 1758. 



Falco fureaiua, LiNNiEUS, Syst. Nat., i, 1766, 129. 



KauoUruafurcatus, Vigoes, Zool. Journ., ii, 1825, 387. 



EUmoidea yetapa, Vibillot, Ency. Meth., iii, 1893, 1205. 



Elanoides forficaUia, Eidqwat, Bull. U. S. Geolog. and Geog. Sutt., ii, No. 2, 1876, 181. 



