PALCONIDffl. BIllDS. FALCONIDa:. 
clxxiii 
obliged to steal u|)Oii them, and seize its victim by a 
sudden and unexpected pounce. 'I'lie I'emale Gos- 
hawk is strong enough to bear oft' a hare. 'I'liis 
s[)ecies i.s tlie handsomest of all our native Falcons ; 
in I'ull plumage, its lilac hues and tlie trim, graceful 
form of its body render it surpassingly beautifid. 
The total length of the female is twenty-two to 
twenty-four inches; wing, about fourteen. 'I'he male 
is about twenty inches in length. A characteristic 
of this bird is the extremely npriglitpostiire it assumes 
when perching. 
HARRIS’ BUZZARD [Parabuteo unicinctus). — 'I’he 
habitat of this bird is given as middle or northern 
tropical America, frotn Isthmus of Panama north- 
ward into the Southern United States. It has a 
very limited range in the United States. 'I'hose 
found in our borders belong to a variety called 
harrisi. Audubon named it for his friend Mr. Ed- 
ward Harris. It is considered as heavy and sluggish 
in habit; and it frequents streams of water, where 
it obtains for its food small reptiles that inhabit the 
banks. Its nest is constructed of coarse flags and 
water-plants over the stream near its hunting-ground. 
GRUBER’S HA'WK {Omjchotes gruberi).—'^ 'V\ns 
genus,” say the authors of North American Birds. 
*■ has no very near relatives among the American Fal- 
conidm, nor, indeed, among those of other portions 
of tlie world. It is perhaps more closely related to 
the genus Rupornis of South America, from which, 
however, it is very distinct. It is represented by a 
single species, the type of which, supposed to have 
come from California, still remains unique. Nothing 
is known of its habits. The specimen was sent to 
the Smilhsoniiui Institution, where it remains.” 
BROAD-WINGED HAWK [Buteo pennsylvanicus). 
— The habitat of this Hawk is Eastern North 
America, and on the Atlantic border southward to 
Central America. It has been considered rare in New 
England until lately, but is now often seen as a sum- 
mer visitor. Its flight is rapid, broken usually by long- 
intervals of soaring, with shorter periods of flap[)ing 
of the wings. It is more commonly seen in the wilder 
districts of the interior. They prey upon pigeons, 
quail, and birds of this size, seldom attacking larger. 
Wilson says : “Its great breath of wing or width of 
the secomlaries, and also of its head and body, when 
compared with its length, struck me as peculiarities. 
It seemed a remarkably strong-built bird, and hand- 
somely marked.” Audubon considered it as spirit- 
less, inactive, and deficient in courage. It seldom 
chases other birds of prey, but is itself annoyed 
frequently by the little Sparrow Hawk, the King- 
bird and the Martin. It feeds on small animals and 
insects. It is solitary in its habits, and is by no 
means shy. Mr. Boardman, of Calais, Me., whose 
observations are very accurate, differs essentially in 
his estimate of this bird’s courage. He gives sevei-al 
instances of dangerous attack upon individuals who 
were attempting to remove eggs from its nest. 
BAIRD’S HAWK [Buteo swainsoni). — 'J.’his is also 
called Hwainson’s Hawk. It is found in the western 
regions of America, and as far east as the Missis- 
sii>pi Valley, and north to the Arctic regions. Its 
lenglh is twenty-one inches and a half — female; 
extent of wing, fifty-four. A variety, oxyptei'us, 
called the Sharped-winged Hawk, is common to the 
southern border of the United States and tropical 
America. Its principal food is gi’a.sshoppers and 
small animals. Dr. Lincecum, of Texas, relates an 
instance of its following a prairie fire to snatch up 
the small mammals and insects that are driven out 
by the heat. He says farther : “ When any one ap- 
proaches their nest on the prairie, they will make a 
pretty bold attempt to I'righten or decoy him from 
it. It first tries to lead the intruder off by alighting 
in the grass near by, and screeching loudly as if some- 
thing greatly was the matter; you approach him, and, 
with much seeming difficulty, it makes out to move 
off a little farther, still screeching louder than be- 
fore ; and this piece of deception he will repeat time 
after time, improving a little in its powers of locomo- 
tion as itgets you further from the nest, until it judges 
you are far enough — -then you have lost the place in 
the unmarked sea of grass — when it seems to fly as 
well as ever ; it circles round once or twice, going still 
farther off, and settles silently down in the deep 
grass ; this last performance evidently to induce 
the belief that it has returned to its nest. If you 
refuse to be led astray by these manoeuvres, and re- 
main about the nest, it will make a good fight.” 
BAND-TAILED HAWK [Buteo zonocercus). — This 
bird is a native of Guatemala, Mexico, and adjoining 
parts of United States. In Arizona and Southern 
Ualifornia it is occasionally seen. Dr. Gooper first 
obtained s|)ecimens in our borders; he represents it 
as rather sluggish and tame. It feeds on beetles 
and other insects. 
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK [Buteo Uneatiis).— \'he 
hal)itat of this species is Eastern North America, 
south as far as Florida, and west to Texas and the 
tributaries of the Missouri. This lefers to the 
variety lineatus; anotlier variety, elegans, called the 
Red-bellied Hawk, is found on the Pacific side of 
the continent. Audubon says of him : “ This bird is 
one of the most noisy of his genus, during S[)ring 
especially, when it would be difficidt to approach the 
skirts of woods bordering a large plantation without 
hearing its discordant, shrill notes, Ica-hee! hi-hee! 
as it is seen sailing in rapid circles at a very great 
elevation. Its ordinary flight is even and protracted, 
e.xcepting when it is describing the circles just men- 
tioned, when it often dives and gambols. It is a 
more general inhabitant of the woods than most of 
our other species, particularly during the summer, 
and in autumn and winter. At the approach of 
spring this species begins to pair; and its flight is 
accompanied by many circlings and zigzag motions, 
during which it emits its shrill cries. 'I’he male is 
particularly noisy at this time. He gives chase to 
all otiier Hawks, returns to the branch on which his 
mate has chanced to perch, and caresses her.” 'I’his 
is a common bird in New England, being a I'esident 
throughout the year in the eastern portions. 
RED-TAILED HAWK [Buteo borealis).— V\\\s, is ;in- 
oLher common resident in New England throughout 
l.he year. Several varieties are recognized. B. var. 
