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FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 
This sturdy little kite, with its quick flight and graceful form and 
motions, has much the appearance of a falcon, but its weak bill and 
talons give it an un-falcon-like character and mode of life. Its prey, 
instead of being birds and mammals, is mainly of such low order as 
insects, snakes, and frogs, and its hunting consequently lacks the 
excitement of the chase. It is seen flying low over the prairies 
among the brush patches, or going from tree to tree along the 
streams. Vernon Bailey. 
GENUS CIRCUS. 
331. Circus hudsonius (Linn.). Marsh Hawk. 
Bill with conspicuous bristles; face encircled by an owl-like ruff of short 
feathers; tarsus slender, much longer than middle toe and claw; a basal 
web between middle and outer toes; claws large and sharp, much curved; 
four outer primaries cut out on inner webs, second to fifth on outer webs. 
Adult male: body bluish slate, streaked with white and becoming pure 
white on rump and belly; under parts lightly specked with reddish brown; 
tail with 6 or 8 bands, one nearest end widest and blackest; tips of wing 
black. Adult female and young: brown or rusty, more or less streaked. 
Length: 19.50-24.00, wing 12.90-1G.00, tail8.80-10.50. 
Remarks. — The facial ruff and large white rump patch are enough to 
distinguish the marsh hawk in any plumage. 
Distribution. — Breeds from Alaska and Hudson Bay to the southern 
border of the United States and winters from about latitude 40° southward 
to Panama and Cuba. 
Nest. — Usually in a marsh or prairie on the ground among rushes, grass, 
or bushes, m'ade of dry grass strengthened with sticks and lined sparsely 
with feathers. Eggs: generally 4 to 6, pale greenish or bluish white, plain, 
or blotched and spotted with pale buff and brownish. 
Food. — Largely meadow mice, young squirrels, rabbits, and ground 
squirrels; also lizards, frogs, snakes, birds, and insects. 
Marsh hawk and mouse hawk are both appropriate names for these 
soft-winged still-hunters. Fields, marshes, and prairies are their 
hunting grounds, and you may see them sailing slowly and smoothly 
just above the surface of the grass tops, with round owl-like face 
and large eyes turned to the ground beneath, and wings ready for a 
quick dive. Woe to the mouse or gopher that moves in the grass 
under those eyes ! Birds are not such easy prey, and few are cap¬ 
tured except wounded game birds. Broken-winged quail, grouse, 
or ducks are not left to suffer long. They are quickly discovered 
and eaten. 
The intelligent farmer usually recognizes the value of this hawk 
and the fact that it almost never touches his poultry. He sees it 
skimming over his meadows and diving into the grass for mice, and 
wisely lets it live; but nevertheless he would be surprised if he 
could figure out how many dollars it saves him during the year. 
Vernon Bailey. 
