_Buteo borealis harlani._

Range.--Gulf States and southward, north to Kansas.

This dark sub-species is generally nearly uniform blackish, but
sometimes is lighter or even white below. Its tail is rusty, mottled
with blackish and white. Its nesting habits are the same and the eggs
are not distinguishable from those of the other Red-tails.

339. RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. _Buteo lineatus lineatus._

Range.--North America, east of the Plains and from the southern parts of
the British Provinces southward; abundant and breeding throughout its
range.

This species is smaller than the Red-tailed and is not as powerfully
built; length 19 inches. The adults are handsomely barred beneath with
reddish brown, giving the entire underparts a ruddy color. Like the last
species, they rarely feed upon poultry, confining their diet chiefly to
mice, rats, frogs, reptiles, etc. These Hawks nest in the larger growths
of timber, usually building their nests high above the ground. The nest
is of sticks, and lined with leaves, weeds and pieces of bark. They lay
three or four eggs with a white ground color, variously blotched and
spotted, either sparingly or heavily, with different shades of brown.
Size 2.15 x 1.75. Data.--Kalamazoo, Michigan, April 25, 1898. Nest about
40 feet up in an oak tree; made of sticks and twigs and lined with bark.
Four eggs. Collector, J. C. Holmes.

339a. Florida Red-shouldered Hawk. _Buteo lineatus alleni._

Range.--Florida and the Gulf coast; north to South Carolina. The nesting
habits of this paler sub-species are precisely like those of the last
species.

[Illustration 211: Red-shouldered Hawk.]
[Illustration: White.]
[Illustration: deco.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]

Page 210

[Illustration 212: Geo. L. Fordyce.
NEST AND EGGS OF RED-SHOULDERED HAWK.]

Page 211

339b. RED-BELLIED HAWK. _Buteo lineatus elegans._

Range.--Pacific coast from British Columbia south to Lower California,
chiefly west of the Rockies.

This variety is similar to, but darker than lineatus, and the underparts
are a uniform reddish brown, without barring. Their nests are like those
of the Red-shouldered variety, and almost always placed high up in the
largest trees. The eggs are very similar, but average lighter in
markings. Size 2.15 x 1.70. Data.--Diego, Cal., April 13, 1897. Nest in
a sycamore 20 feet from ground, made of sticks, leaves and feathers.

340. Zone-tailed Hawk. _Buteo abbreviatus._

Range.--M