126 



BLACK ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK-ROSEATE SPOONBILL— NIGHT HERON. 



adventurous mate, whom the uncertain result of the chase has 

 perhaps separated from him for the night. As this species is no 

 ways shy and very easily approached, I have had the opportunity 

 of studying it closely. At length, but in no haste, I observed the 

 female approach and take her station on the same lofty, decayed 

 limb with her companion, who, grateful for this attention, plumed 

 the feathers of his mate with all the assiduous fondness of a Dove. 

 Intent upon her meal, however, she soon flew off to a distance, 

 while the male still remained on his perch, dressing up his beau- 

 tiful feathers, for near half an hour, often shaking his tail, like 

 some of the lessor birds, and occasionally taking an indifferent 

 survey of the hosts of small chirping birds which surround him, 

 who followed without alarm the occupation of gleaning seeds and 

 berries for subsistence. I have occasionally observed them 

 perched on low bushes and stakes in the rice-fields, remaining 

 thus for half an hour at a time, and then darting after their prey 

 as it comes in sight. I saw one descend upon a Plover, as I 

 thought, and Wilson remarks their living on these birds, Larks, 

 and Sandpipers. The same pair that I watched, also hung on the 

 rear of a flock of Cow-buntings which were feeding and scratch- 

 ing around them." The length of this species is about twenty-two 

 inches, the wing fourteen, and the tail nine inches. 



Black Rough-legged Hawk, American Rough-legged Hawk, or Rough- 

 legged Buzzard. (Archibuteo lagofius, var. Sancti JoJiannis^) 



Fig. 4. 



This bird is usually to be met with in Middle Atlantic and New 

 England States. It is also found in the West. In early summer 

 it migrates to the fur countries, remaining there until October. 

 According to Coues : 



"Its migrations appear to be quite regular and extensive — more 

 so, perhaps, than is generally supposed — though probably it does 

 not differ from most Hawks in this respect. % Birds of this family 

 must follow their prey, wherever this leads them, and only a few 

 of the more powerful species, able to prey upon hares and Ptarmi- 

 gan, pass the winter in our highest latitudes. The Rough-legged 

 is a rather northerly species, rarely, if ever, breeding within the 

 limits of the United States, and becoming rarer toward its southern 

 terminus. On the Atlantic coast I have no authentic evidence of 

 its appearance south of the United States, the maritime portions 

 of which may be regarded as its winter headquarters. It is repre- 

 sented as being particularly numerous in the low land along the 

 Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It winters thence northward into 

 Maine at least, where Prof. Verrill and others have found it com- 

 mon at that season. It also endures the rigor of the year in parts 

 of the Missouri region, though probably not the northernmost. 

 Allen found it wintering in Wyoming. I took a single specimen 

 at Fort Whipple, in Arizona, in the winter of 1865, and Dr. Ken- 

 neley observed the species at Zuni, in New Mexico, in November. 

 This brings its range almost to the Mexican border. The contin- 

 uous mountain chains probably account for its range in this longi- 

 tude beyond that it completes on the Atlantic. Dr. Cooper thinks 

 it only a winter visitor in California, where he did not observe it 

 beyond Santa Clara Valley, but surmises it may breed in the 

 mountains of the State, as he saw it on the Columbia in July. 



"Notwithstanding their size and apparent muscularity, Hawks 

 of this genus have none of the dash and spirit of the Falcons, and 

 indeed seem inferior to the Buteos in this respect. Their quarry, 

 though diversified, is always humble ; they prey upon various field 

 mice and other very small quadrupeds, lizards, and frogs, and 

 even insects, rarely attacking birds of any kind, and then only the 

 most defenseless. Open fields, especially in the vicinity of water, 

 are their favorite resorts. They appear heavy and indisposed to 

 active exertion, flying slowly and heavily, and often remaining 

 long motionless on their perch. They show some analogy to the 

 Owls in points of structure, as well as in their partially nocturnal 



habits. This has long been noticed. Sir John Richardson says 

 ' In the softness and fullness of its plumage, its feathered legs and 

 habits, this bird bears some resemblance to the Owls. It flies 

 slowly, sits for a long time on the bough of a tree, watching for 

 mice, frogs, etc., and is often seen sailing over swampy pieces of 

 ground, and hunting for its prey by the subdued daylight, which 

 illuminates even the midnight hours in the high parallels of lati- 

 tude.' Wilson observes that it habitually courses over the mead- 

 ows long after the sun has set, and Audubon calls it the most noc- 

 turnal of our species. 



"The nest, which I have never seen, is said to be ordinarily 

 built of sticks, etc., in a high tree ; sometimes, however, on cliffs, 

 as noted by Dr. Brewer. The eggs, three or four in number, and 

 measuring about i\ by if inches, run through the usual variations, 

 from dull whitish, scarcely or not at all marked, to drab or creamy, 

 largely blotched with different shades of brown, sometimes mixed 

 with purplish-slate markings." 



PLATE LXXXII. 



Roseate Spoonbill. {Platalca q/aja.) 



Fig. 1. 



The habitat of this bird is confined to the South Atlantic and 

 Gulf States. His northern limit is North Carolina, where he is 

 of extremely rare occurrence. He is a constant resident of the 

 southern extremities of the peninsula of Florida, and is extremely 

 abundant along the northern shores of the Gulf of Mexico, and 

 particularly of Galveston Bay. His favorite haunts are the marshy 

 and muddy borders of ocean bays, the mouths of rivers, and bush- 

 covered islands, where, in the midst of an abundance of food, he 

 is enabled to breed in perfect security. The Indian river, Florida, 

 is another favorite breeding place, and here, in a single day, one 

 person has been known to kill sixty of these birds. The flesh is 

 tough and oily, but the feathers are very beautiful, and are made 

 into fans. So great is the demand for these feathers, that, at St. 

 Augustine, birds bring from one to two dollars each. The Ro- 

 seate is a very shy bird, and one extremely difficult to kill. He is 

 somewhat gregarious, associating with the Herons, and when 

 feeding, one of the number always acts the part of police. He 

 flies with his neck stretched forward to its full length, legs and feet 

 extended behind, and is possessed of much grace when on the 

 wing. When he alights, his wings expand, and, passing at least 

 twice over the spot, comes gently to the ground. He is essentially 

 nocturnal, though, when the tides are low, he is frequently seen 

 feeding by day. Few birds keep better watch of these ebbs and 

 flows, and when the tides are favorable, he may be seen standing 

 knee-deep in water, with his whole head and neck immersed in 

 the soft mud, searching for the small shell-fish, which are his 

 favorite food. His nest is usually made on the top of the man- 

 grove, is flat, and is formed of sticks of considerable size, and is 

 exceedingly coarse in construction. In this platform-like nest 

 three eggs are usually laid, the last not later than the middle of 

 February. These eggs are pure white, the shells slightly granu- 

 lated, are equally rounded at both ends, and measure 2.62 by 1.87 

 inches. By the first of April the young are hatched, but it is not 

 until the third year that they attain full plumage, and for several 

 seasons after they continue to increase in size. 



Qua-bird or Skuak— Night Heron. {Nyctiardea gardeni.) 



Fig. 2. 



The Sqawk or Night Heron is a common resident of the United 

 States and British Provinces. He breeds abundantly in New 



