Range. - Northern North America, breeding chiefly north of our borders and wintering south to the middle portions of the United States.

The Rough-legs are large, heavily built birds of prey, specially characerized by the completely feathered legs. The present species is 22 inchse long, and in the normal plumage has a whitish head, neck, breast and tail, the former being streaked and the latter barred with blackish; the remainder of, the upper and underparts are black-; ish brown. Their nests are usually placed in trees, and less often on the ground than those of the next] species. These Rough-legs are very irregularly distributed, and are nowhere as common as the next. While the greater number nest north of the United States, it is very probable that a great many; nest on the higher ranges within our borders. The species is often taken in summer, even in Massa-: chusetts. They lay three eggs of a bluish white color, boldly splashed with dark brown; size 2.25 x 1.75.

American Rough-legged Hawk.

Bluish white.

Rough-legged Hawk.

Rough-legged Hawk.