OF VIRGINIA 103 
FAMILY BUTEONID/E.—HAWKS, EAGLES, 
KITES, ETC. 
GENUus Circus. 
[331]. Circus hudsonius (Linneus). Marsh Ilawk. 
Rayxee.—North America. Breeds from northeastern 
Siberia, northwestern .\laska, northwestern Mackenzie, 
central Keewatin, northern Quebec, and Prince Edward 
Island south to the southern border of the United States; 
winters from southern British Columbia, Colorado, Lowa, 
the Ohio Valley, and New York (occasionally Massachu- 
setts) south to the Bahamas, Cuba, and Colombia. 
This is not a common bird with us, the majority are 
seen during the migrations, both spring and fall. It does, 
however, breed along our coast in suitable places, the 
swampy ground covered with marsh grass and bushes on 
the islands being a favorite abode in years past, though it 
is now almost rare as a breeding bird over these islands. 
This is one of our most beneficial hawks, if not the most, 
for its food consists of practically nothing of use to the 
agriculturist; rats, mice, frogs, small snakes, insects and 
lizards, being its chief food. Occasionally it does take 
small birds, the sparrows being the representative family. 
Its nest is composed of small sticks, weed stems, grass 
and marsh trash of all descriptions, placed on or very 
near the ground, and never far from water. Four to six 
egos average a complete set, a pale bluish-white, generally 
without markings of any sort. The eggs average 1.80x1.40. 
I attribute their scarcity along our coast to the gunners 
who shoot shore birds both spring and fall. These men, 
