SWALLOW-TAILED KITE. A419 
Head, neck and under parts white; back, wings and tail lustrous-black ; feet greenish 
blue, claws pale. Length, female, 23-25; wing, 16-174; tail, 14; male a little smaller. 
Habitat, South Atlantic and Gulf States; On the Altantic coast not regularly beyond 
Virginia, but casually to Massachusetts. Up the whole Mississippi Valley, however, to 
latitude 47°. Up the Missouri to Fort Leavenworth. at least. Cuba. South to Brazil. 
Accidental in Europe. 
Formerly an abundant summer resident ; now a rare vistor. Wilson 
says of this elegant Hawk that it “is very abundant in South Carolina. 
and Georgia, and still more so in west Florida, and the extensive prairies 
of Ohio and the Indiana Territory.” 
In 1838, Dr. Kirtland says: 
‘* A few years since the Swallow-tailed Hawk was to be seen during the summer, ‘in 
considerable numbers in Portage and Stark counties. From some unknown cause it has 
of late, ceased to visit these localities. They were probably the northernmost verge of its 
summer migrations, and the late cold and wet seasons have driven it back into warmer 
climates.” 
Mr. Read does not appear to have seen it, and adds nothing to Dr. Kirt- 
land’sstatement. Mr. Kirkpatrick, 1858, adds that ‘‘the prairies of Craw- 
ford county were formerly a favorite place of resort, and occasionally a 
specimen may be found there still.” Nothing more is heard of the bird 
in this State until 1878, when a specimen was taken, as noted by me in 
the Bulletin (1. c.) as follows: 
‘This bird, which has not been recorded from Ohio for over twenty-five years, was 
taken in Licking county, near the town cf Pataskala, seventeen miles east of Columbus, 
August 22,1578. It is reported to have been killed when in the act of pursuing chickens. 
On being brought to the town of Pataskala, it excited considerable remark, no one 
being acquainted withit. It was finally decided to bea Bald Eagle escaped from Barnum’s 
Show, and thrown away. It was recovered and identified by Rev. C. H. Permort, who 
carefully removed the skin from the decomposed remains and presented it tome. It is in 
high plumage, the dark area iridescent with purple-bronze and green.” 
In habits the Swallow-tailed Hawk differs from most other members of 
the family, in that it is gregarious, great numbers sometimes associating 
and feeding together, and breeding in the same neighboorhood. Dr. Kirt- 
land, 1850, speaking of their former appearance in considerable numbers, 
says they “might be seen moving in graceful circles, at no great height, 
watching for the garter snake, that then infested our meadows.” 
Their food consists of snakes, lizards and large insects which they 
devour whileon the wing. It rarely alights on the ground. 
The nest of the Swallow-tailed Hawk is said to be placed on a high 
tree, in the vicinity of water, and to resemble that of the Crow. The 
eggs are dirty-whitish, with blotches of different shades of brown, most. 
numerous about the smaller end. They measure 1.90 by 1.50. 
