292 HAWKS, EAGLES, AND KITES 
This species is a summer resident in southern Florida. It arrives 
from the south in February. Mr. W. E. D. Scott writes of it as observed 
at Lake Panasofkee, Florida: ‘Their food at this point apparently 
consists of a kind of large, fresh-water snail, which is very abundant, 
and the local name of ‘Snail-Hawk’ is particularly applicable to this 
bird as I have met with it, They fish over the shallow water, remind- 
ing one of Gulls in their motions; and having secured a snail by diving, 
they immediately carry it to the nearest available perch, where the 
animal is dexterously taken from the shell without injury to the latter.” 
(Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, VI, 1881, p. 16.) 
331. Cireus hudsonius (Linn.). Marsa Hawk. Ad. 7.—Upperparts 
gray or ashy; upper tail-coverts white; tail silvery gray, irregularly barred 
or marked with blackish; upper breast pearl-gray; the lower breast and 
belly white, spotted or barred with rufous. Ad. ¢.—Upperparts fuscous, 
the head and neck streaked, and the wing-coverts spotted or margined 
with rufous; longer upper tail-coverts white; midd’e tail-feathers barred with 
ashy and black, others barred with ochraceous-buff and black; underparts 
ochraceous-buff, widely streaked on the breast and narrowly streaked on the 
belly with fuscous or light umber. Im.—Similar to the ¢, but somewhat 
darker above; the underparts darker, almost rufous; the belly without 
streaks. ¢ L., 19°00; W., 13°75; T., 9°00; B. from N., ‘60. 9 L., 22°00; W., 
15°00; T., 10°00. 
Range.—N. A. Breeds from ne. Siberia, nw. Alaska, nw. Mackenzie, 
cen. Keewatin, n. Que., and Prince Edward Is. s. to the s. border of the U. 
8.; winters from s. B. C., Colo., Iowa, the Ohio Valley, and N. Y. (occasion- 
ally Mass.) s. to the Bahamas, Cuba, and Colombia. 
Washington, common W. V., July—Apl. Ossining, tolerably common 
S. R., Mch. 6—-Oct. 30; a few winter. Cambrid ge, common T. 
Mch. 20—Nov. 10, one breeding record. N. Ohio, not common 8. R., Mch. 
5-Nov. 30. Glen Ellyn, 8. R., several pairs, Apl. 4-Nov. 6. SE. ‘Minn. - 
common 8. R., Mch. 6—-Nov. 1. 
Nest, on oe ground, in marshes. Eggs, 4-6, dull white or pale bluish 
white, 1°75 x 1°40. Date, New London Conn., May 18; Cambridge, June 5; 
Meridian, N. Y., May 12; Baxter, Iowa, May 8. 
This Hawk is essentially a bird of the unwooded country, and we 
might as well look for a Ruffed Grouse in the open marsh as for a Harrier 
in the thick woods. It flies low, and may be easily identified by the 
large white patch on its rump. Quartering the country with slow, vacil- 
lating flight, it usually captures its living prey by surprising it away 
from its retreats. 
The Harrier is a low-perching Hawk, and most frequently will 
be seen alighting on a slight elevation or in the grass. During the 
nesting season the male may be seen performing a number of extraor- 
dinary aérial evolutions. Sometimes he soars to a great height, then 
falls straight downward nearly to the ground, turning several somer- 
saults during the descent, and uttering at the same time a reiterated 
screeching. At other times he flies across the marsh in a course which 
would outline a gigantic saw, each of the descending parts being done 
in a somersault and accompanied by the screeching notes, which form 
the only love song within the range of his limited vocal powers. 
Ernest T. SETON, 
