1881, 
Archibuteo lagopus. 
(Mar.17- 
18), 
considerablg numbers. They regularly go to roost in a 
grove of yellow pines {P. ri^ida ) on a hill to the west 
of the town, Mr,Damon used to lie in vrait for them 
there and shoot them as they came in. They flevr over 
the tov/n singly and at a considerable heightj returning 
to the intervale at about sunrise next morning. This 
habit is maintained at all seasons, I saw them yester— 
day at tv/ilight flying overhead towards Mt.Tom. 
So far as Damon has observed the Rnff-logs feed 
entirely on mice. Their manner of hunting has been de¬ 
scribed in some notes made by me in former years so I 
will not repeat it here* 
Their temperament varies considerably with the f, 
weather. On still days they are usually sluggish, hunt- 
ing but little and remaining on their perches for hours 
at a time. During snow storms they are usually very 
inactive and easily approached but sometimes exactly the 
reverse as was the case this morning. On windy blus- * 
tering days they are invariably restless, shy, and active 
sailing about high in air and shifting from tree to ; 
tree at frequent intervals. They have their favorite t'. 
perches to which they soon return after being driven 
av/ay, a habit v/hich is taken advantage of by the shooters. i' 
They frequently perch on the topmost 'Slender spray of J 
the tall elms when they swing in the vrind with as much 
ease as a Kobin or a Blackbird, but they are more apt to 
choose horizontal limbs abou t two-thirds of the dis- ii; 
tance from the ground. Ordinarily they sit in a slo- | 
venly attitude with the body nearly erect and the foathore 
ruffftdd. But sometimes, especially when suspicious 
of danger, the plumage is closely drawn in and the pose 
and outlines of the motionless bird are then superb. 
Their colors vary interminably. Damon has seldom soon li 
two alike. 
The dark birds look very much darker than they " 
really are and many appear as black and glossy as Crows. 
They are peaceable and rather sociable in disposition two, 
or sometimes even three, being often seen together on * :i 
the same tree. On several occasions I saw one alight 
by the side of another (actually on the same branch) 
when the latter would usually fly to the next tree with¬ 
out showing any ill-nature at being thus crowded off its 'll 
perch. 
They rarely if ever stoop on their prey from their 
perches, their hunting being thus carried on quite dif¬ 
ferently from that of the But eos, 
Their flight is easy and graceful, never hurried 
rarely if ever swift but perfectly well-sustained. They 
sail in a straight line across the fields like Turkey 
Buzzards but seldom circle in the manner of the Buteos, 
When about to alight they sweep downv/ards, often nearly 
to the ground, and rising on sot wings close them as they 
strike the branch. When a top-most tv/’ig is chosen the 
bird usually stands for a moment with uplifted wings un¬ 
til it gets its balance and sometimes flaps once or 
twice in accomplishing this. When passing overhead from 
one place to another, as when going to roost, the wing 
beats are regular and unremitting and the flight resem¬ 
bles a Herring Gull’s. 
