SWALLOW-TAILED KITE. 419 



Head, neck and under parts white ; back, wings and tail lastronablaok ; feet greenish 

 bine, claws pale. Length, female, 23-25 ; wing, 16-17^ ; tail, 14 ; male a little smaller. 



Habitat, South Atlantic and Golf States. On the Altantio coast not regularly beyond 

 Virginia, but casually to Massachusetts. Up the whole Mississippi Valley, however, to 

 latitude 47°. Up the Missouri to Port Leavenworth at least. Cuba. South to Brazil. 

 Accidental in Europe. 



Formerly an abundant summer resident ; now a rarelvistor. Wilson 

 says of this elegant Hawk that it " is very abundant in South Carolina 

 and Georgia, and still more so in west Florida, and the extensive prairies 

 of Ohio and the Indiana Territory." 



In 1838, Dr. Kirtland «ays : 



" A few years since the Swallow-tailed Hawk was to be seen during the summer,'in 

 considerable numbers in Portage and Stark counties. From some unknown cause it has 

 of late, ceased to visit these localities. They were probably the northernmost verge of its 

 summer migrations, and the late cold and wet seasons have driven it back into warmer 

 climates." 



Mr. Read does not appear to have seen it, and adds nothing to Dr. Kirt- 

 land's statement. Mr. Kirkpatrick, 1858, adds that "the prairies of Craw- 

 ford county were formerly a favorite place of resort, and occasionally a 

 specimen may be found there still." Nothing more is heard of the bird 

 in this State until 1878, when a specimen was taken, as noted by me in 

 the Bulletin (1. c.) as follows : 



" This bird, which has not been recorded from Ohio for over twenty-five years, was 

 taken in Licking county, near the town ef Pataskaia, seventeen miles east of Columbus, 

 August 22, 1878. It is reported to have been killed when in the act of pursuing chickens. 

 On being brought to the town of Pataskaia, it excited considerable remark, no one 

 being acquainted with it. It was finally decided to be a Bald Eagle escaped from Barnum's 

 Show, and thrown away. It was recovered and identified by Eev. C. H. Permort, who 

 carefully removed the skin from the decomposed remains and presented it to me. It is in 

 high plumage, the dark area iridescent with purple-bronze and green." 



In habits the Swallow -tailed Hawk differs from most other members of 

 the family, in that it is gregarious, great numbers sometimes associating 

 and feeding together, and breeding in the same neighboorhood. Dr. Kirt- 

 land, 1850, speaking of their former appearance in considerable numbers, 

 says they " m ight be seen moving in graceful circles, at no great height, 

 watching for the garter snake, that then infested our meadows." 



Their food consists of snakes, lizards and large insects which they 

 devour while on the wing. It rarely alights on the ground. 



The nest of the Swallow-tailed Hawk is said to be placed on a high 

 tree, in the vicinity of water, and to resemble that of the Crow. The 

 eggs are dirty-whitish, with blotches of different shades of brown, most 

 numerous about the smaller end. They measure 1.90 by 1.60. 



