358 BUTEO SWAINSONI, SWAINSON's BUZZAED. 



^^ here I found the birds more numerous than elsewhere. Much of the 

 river-bottom is well wooded with elm, oak, and other large trees; and 

 the number of nests found in this timber — sometimes several in sight of 

 each other — would be considered surprising by one not recollectiug that 

 conveniences for breeding are in this country practically limited to such 

 narrow tracts. 



The nests are built at varying heights, from the intricacies of heavy 

 shrubbery, where a man may reach them from the ground, to the tops of 

 the tallest trees. They are generally, however, placed thirty or fo«ty 

 feet high, in some stout crotch or on a horizontal fork. They are bulky 

 and ragged-looking structures, from the size of sticks used for the base 

 and outside; the interior is composed of smaller twigs more compactly 

 arranged. The shape varies with the requirements of the location, 

 being more or less conical in an upright crotch, flatter on a fork. The 

 interior hollowing is slight. An average external diameter may be 

 given as two feet, and depth half as much. I was too late for eggs ia 

 the locality above mentioned ; the only nest I found with anything in it 

 contained two half- fledged young. This was on the 15th of August — so 

 late as to induce the belief that perhaps two broods may be reared in a 

 season, especially as before this date I had observed many full-grown 

 yearlings on wing. This nest was built about forty feet high, in an oak 

 tree, was very untidy, matted with excrement and the scurfy exfoliation 

 from the growing feathers of the youngsters, and encumbered with por- 

 tions of several gophers. The nestlings were too young to make any 

 resistance beyond a menacing hiss and a very mixed flapping when 

 they were unceremoniously pitched out. The mother was shot near the 

 nest with a pistol-ball, but her partner kept prudently out of the way. 

 The young had been well cared for; their crops were full of gopher- 

 meat at the time, and they were very fat. 



In July I had a live young one in captivity, at about the age of 

 these two; and, early in August, possessed a completely-feathered 

 and full-grown bird of the year, probably hatched in May. This 

 shows that either two broods are leared, or that the laying season 

 runs through most of the summer. This grown young one made 

 rather an acceptable prisoner for Some days, as he was trim and 

 shapely, with a fine eye and general military bearing, as well as an ex- 

 cellent appetite. Bat then he was bad-tempered, took the most civil 

 advances unkindly, and would not even fraternize with a pair of 

 very well-disposed and sensible Owls that were picketed with him. At 

 last, when he so totally failed to appreciate his position as to use his 

 claws with jjainfnl eiJect, he was summarily executed. Both this and , 

 the younger one before him had a peculiarly plaintive whistle to signify 

 hunger or a sense of loneliness, a note that was almost musical in in- 

 tonation. This was the only cry I heard from them ; the old birds have 

 a harsh, loud scream, much alike in all our large Hawks. 



The quarry of Swainson's Buzzard is of a very humble nature. I never 

 saw one swoop upon wild-fowl or Grouse, and, though they strike rabbits, 

 like the Eed-tails, their prey is ordinarily nothing larger than gophers. 

 Though really strong and sufficiently fierce birds, they lack the "snap" 

 of the Falcons and Asturs; and 1 scarcely think they are smart enough 

 to catch birds very olteu. I saw one make the attempt on a Lark 

 Bunting. The Hawk poised in the air, at a height of about twenty 

 yards, for fully a minute, fell heavily, with an awkward thrust of 

 the talons — and missed. The little bird slipped off, badly scared no 

 doubt, but unhurt, while the enemy flapped away sulkily, very likely to 

 l^rowl around a gopher-hole for his dinner, or take pot-luck at grass- 



