1874. 
Nov, 20, 
1875, 
Nov, 22. 
1881, 
Mar.17-18 
314 
Arehibuteo lagopus. 
Saw ono at Ipswich, 
Shot an adult female of the brovm phase on Ipswich 
River, She v/as sitting on some tall oaks on the bank 
and permitted us to row past her before taling vang. 
Over the Neck at the mouth og the river three fine 
specimens in black plumage were poising, breasting the 
strong north wind, and scrutinising the ground beneath. 
Those birds remained in this spot during the entire day. 
Wheneirer v/e landed, however, they v;ould cross the channel 
to the hill on the other side, invariably returning v/itn- 
in ton minutes after our departure. We tried various 
devices to obtain a shot but they were so shy that wo 
found this impossible, in flight and habits they did 
not differe at all from the brown birds. They spent 
nearly all their time suspended over one spotand I no¬ 
ticed each individual had its patticular hunting ground 
to which it invariably returned. The sight of these 
three Black birds suspended at a height of about S fifty 
feet and all within a radius of ono hundred yards^ each 
maintaining its respective position vrithout any visible 
movement of the wings or tail foi*» pany minutes at a 
time, v^as most interesting. At times when the wind 
came in gusts, they apparently found difficulty in pre¬ 
serving their equilibium, flapping their wings rapidly 
and at frequent intervals. But during the whole time 
that wo watched them each maintained its exact place in 
the air literally to within a foot. Their descent 
on their prey was made (as described in Journal for 1873, 
p.132) in clycloid curves. At times all three v^-ould 
rise to an immense height in the air and sail about in 
company. This circling as performed with exquisite ease 
and grace and the appearance of the bird and the posi¬ 
tion of its -wings was nearly like that of Gathartes-aura 
They v/ero po -feetly silent and frequently alighted on the 
ground, usually on the top of some elevated knoll. 
The follov/’ing notes are based on the experience of 
two days spent in hunting these Hawks at Northampton, 
Mass, in company with Messrs, Damon and f>^aynard of that 
town. With them I have also included severfilefacts 
told me by Mr,Damon; 
The Ruffed-legged Hawks are still numerous at the 
proper season about Northampton but they do not now oc¬ 
cur there in nearly as great numbers as in former years. 
The old farmers toll of fifty being killed in a day in 
those times when they they were copiparatively easy to 
approach. Some ten years ago Messrs.Maynard and Damon 
began to shoot them with rifles and in 1879 the latter 
first began to systematically hunt them v/ith a shot gun 
and team. On Thanksgiving day of that year twenty- 
five were killed near the towri by Mr.Damon by his friends. 
During the v^intor of 79-80 Mr.Damon alone killed over 
fifty. 
During mild winters they remain on the intervale in 
