62 



THE HAWKS AND OWLS OP THE UNITED STATES. 



Table showing the results of examinations of 56S stomachs of the Eed-tailed Hawk 

 (Buteo horeaUs) — Contiuued. 



Summary. — Of 562 stomachs examined, 54 contained poultry or game birds; 51, other birds; 278, 

 mice; 131, other mammals; 37, batrachiaua or reptiles; 47, insects; 8, crawfish; 1, centipeds; 13, offal; 

 and 89 were empty. 



RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. 



Buteo lineatus. 



[Plate 8-Adult.] 



The Eed-shotildered Hawk inhabits eastern North America from 

 Nova Scotia and Manitoba ranging south to the Gulf of Mexico and 

 west to the Great Plains. 



A dark race {Buteo lineatus elegans) inhabits the Pacific slope, north 

 to southern Oregon. 



A small race [Buteo lineatus alleni) occurs from Florida to Texas, and 

 extends south into Mexico. It is well to state here that, although the 

 Texas and Mexican specimens are of the same size as typical Florida 

 examples, they are much darker, owing to the increase of the rufous 

 pigment in the plumage, thus approaching the elegans type in colora- 

 tion. 



It will be seen from the above outUne of its distribution that a con- 

 siderable portion of the dry interior of the United States, including the 

 Great Plains region, is without a representative of this species. 



The diet of the Eed-shouldered Hawk is probably more varied than 

 that of most other birds of prey. For example, the writer has found in 

 the stomachs of the different individuals which have come under his 

 notice the remains of mammals, birds, snakes, frogs, fish, insects, cen- 

 tipeds, spiders, crawfish, earthworms, and snails, which represent 

 eleven classes of animal life. This Hawk is very fond of frogs, and, 

 although these batrachians are mentioned by Audubon and other 

 writers as forming a very considerable portion of their sustenance, 

 yet mice furnish fully 65 per cent of their food. Besides this very in- 

 jurious group of rodents, other small mammals, such as squirrels, young 

 rabbits, shrews, and moles, are taken. 



Some authors have stated that Hawks commonly commence on their 

 prey by eating the entrails. The tame Hawk elsewhere mentioned, 

 and others that have come under the writer's observation, invariably 



