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Falco islandus L. in Labrador. — We have received a specimen of this
biid from Ungava Bay shot by Mr. Thos. Mackenzie in 1890. To make
certain of the identification, I forwarded the bird to Mr. H. E. Dresser
who along with me is under the impression that this is the first record
fiom that district. J. A. Harvie Brown, Duniftace House, Larbert N
Auk, 8, April, 1391, p.

4 & e <

Ut* rrur^c, * e

?i. a.

178. Falco islandus.*— A very handsome ? shot at Point de Monts
Jan. 7, 1885. Another was seen at Godbout, March 23, i88<;.

* for authority for the name Falco islandus Briinn., see Stejneger in ‘The Auk,’ Vol.
II, No. 2, April 1885, pp. 184-187.

Auk, 2, July, 1886. P- 3

oaa m . (X.j

132. Falco islandus . 1 White Gyrfalcon. — A female taken Novem-
ber 20, 1905, is the only record; this is a fairly light bird, comparable
■with specimens from North Greenland. There appears to have been a
southern migration of gyrfalcons in Western Europe and North America
in 1905. 1 Hierolalco candicans (Gm.).

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TAXIDERMIST,

-THE /COUNTING OF

Moose, Deer and Caribou a Specia

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Terms Cash. No goods sent C. 0. D. unless enough money is sent to pay

charges both ways.

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l8o General Notes. ["April

Auk, XII, April, 1895, p , /So

The White Gyrfalcon in New England. — Not long since Mr. George
A. Boardman wrote me that he had heard of the capture, i n eastern Maine ,
of a very light-colored Gyrfalcon. Upon my expressing a lively interest
in the matter he very kindly put me in correspondence with Mr. John
Clayton of Lincoln, Maine, who mounted the specimen and from whom I
have just purchased it. Although too dark colored to be typical of that
form it is, nevertheless, an unmistakable example of Falco islandus
Briinn. It is a young bird and, judging by the measurements, a male,
although the sex was not determined by dissection. It was shot in South
Winn (just south of Lincoln ) about October 8 (Mr. Clayton received it on
the 9th and in such fresh condition that he does not think it could have
been dead more than twenty-four hours), 1893, by a young man named
Wyman who found it perched on a telegraph pole.

This capture is of considerable importance, for the White Gyrfalcon
does not appear to have been before taken in New England if, indeed, it
has occurred anywhere within the United States. It has been, reported
more than once, but in every case, apparently, either on insufficient
evidence or mistaken identification. The repeated changes or interchanges
of names in the Gyrfalcon group have also led to much confusion. A
recent instance of this is the mention by Mr. Chapman (Birds of
Vicinity of New York City, 1894, p. 41) under "F islandus Briinn.” of
the Long Island (New York) specimen originally recorded by Mr.
Lawrence (Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist. New York, VIII, 1866, p. 280) and since
referred to by Mr. Ridgway (Hist. N. Am. Birds, III, 1874, p. 114) and
by Mr. Dutcher (Auk, X, 1893, p. 274) as F. islandicus .' Mr. Chapman
now writes me that he has never seen this specimen and “ had not the
slightest intention of changing its original identification,” but that he
was misled “ into giving F. islandus as the equivalent of F. islandicus .”
It may be well, therefore, to improve this and every convenient oppor-
tunity to reiterate the fact that, under the arrangement first proposed by
Dr. Stejneger (Auk, II, 1885, pp. 187, 188) and afterwards adopted in the
A. O. U. Check-List, the bird which, prior to 1885, was so generally called
F. candtcans now stands as F. islandus , while that formerly known
(among American writers at least) as F. islandicus has become F.
rusticolus . — William Brewster, Cambridge, Mass.

1 Since writing the above I have examined this Long Island bird, which is
now in the collection of the Brooklyn Historical Society. It proves to be a
perfectly typical example of Falco rusticolus gryfalco in nearly mature
plumage.

Vol. XVII"]

1900 J

General Notes.

387

Description of the Nestling Plumage of Falco islandus. — While pre-
paring a report on the various collections of birds received by the Ameri-
can Museum of Natural History through the Peary Expeditions to Green-
land, I learned from Mr. J. D. Figgins, taxidermist of the expeditions of
1896-97, that Mr. R. D. Perry, one of the members of the expedition of
1897, secured two specimens of Falco islandus from the nest. The plum-
age of' the species at that age having a very important bearing on the ques-
tion of the relationships of the Greenland Gyrfalcons, I wrote Mr.
Perry with the result that he kindly forwarded the birds for examination,
and with his permission, I append the following description, which applies
equally to both specimens:

Crown and nape as in the adult, white with narrow blackish shaft-streaks
increasing in width posteriorly; back white, the apical half of the feather
with a guttate or elliptical ovate fuscous mark bordered by white, and
sometimes continuing as a narrow line down the shaft of its feather to
the base ; rump white with narrow fuscous shaft-streaks ; quills with bro-
ken blackish bars and a sub-apical blackish tip, agreeing in pattern with
the quills of the adult bird, but with the white portions, especially of the
outer web, slightly suffused with pale ochraceous; wing-coverts as in the
adult but with the blackish markings linear rather than transverse; tail,
about two thirds grown, pure white without bars or other markings;
under parts white, as in the adult, with a few fuscous shaft-streaks; under
tail-coverts white, unmarked.

In general appearance these birds are quite as white as fully adult
individuals and apparently prove that Falco islandus is, as has been
claimed, white at all ages, and they thus furnish confirmatory evidence of
its specific distinctness.

Moulting specimens of Falco rusticolus show that the immature, linear-
marked plumage is directly succeeded by the mature barred plumage and
it is probable, therefore, that the adult plumage of F. islandus is acquired
in the same manner. — Frank M. Chapman, American Museum Natural
History , New Fork City. Auk, XVII, Oct., 1900, p * 3 8 ^ ,

A Philadelphia Collection of Eggsof
theRaptorea.

Hierofalco gyrfalco c andieam. White Gyr-
falcon. One set of three.

O.&O. XIV. Mar. 1889 p.45

A PhiladelphiaCollectionof Eggsof

the Raptores.

Hierofalco gyrfalco islandus. Iceland Gyr-
falcon. One set of two.

O.&O. XIV. Mar. 1889 p.45

Collection of Saptores Egg's. J. p,

Iceland (lyrtalcon,

O. & O. XV. Apr. 1890. p. 56

Collection of Raptores Eggs. J. P. N,

White Oyrfaleon, 1-3. 1 . :i _

O.&O. XV. Apr. 1890. p. 58

Analecta Ornithologica
Leonard Stejneger

XXVIII. On Gyrfalcons.

In Scandinavia only two Gyrfalcons are known to occur, the
common so-called ‘Brown Gyrfalcon,’ or the typical Falco gyr-
falco , and the form with whitish black-streaked head, usually
attributed to Iceland and South Greenland (cf. Collett, N. Mag.
Natur. XXVI, 1 88 x , p. 329). Both of these were known to
Linnasus, who described the former as F. gyrfalco , the latter
as F. rusticolus. The first of these names is not any longer a
matter of dispute. The latter ought not be, for his diagnosis :
“Falco cera palpebris pedibusque luteis, corpore cinereo al-
boque undulato, collari albo. F[abitat in Svecia” is clear
enough, and better than liis diagnosis of F. gyrfalco. He
seems not, however, to have recognized the white Gyrfalcon,
which was well known to Brunnich. The latter describes, under
the specific name of islandus , three different birds, which he
considers “sine dubio varietates quas soli Danias Regi vendere

tenentur Islandi.” The two first, his No. 7 and No. 8, are evi-
dently only stages of the White Gyrfalcon ; No. 9 is an equally
undoubted description of the bird which we think Linnaeus
called rusticolus . It will thus be seen that Briinnich’s species
F. islandus is a compound one, embracing both the white and
the dark species of Greenland and Iceland. The author who
next treated of these birds from autopsy was Otto Fabricius,
who in his celebrated ‘Fauna Groenlandica,’ published in 1780,
applied the name Falco islandus to the white species — “Falco
albus maculis cordatis nigricantibus, rectricibus albis nigro-
fasciatis” — to which he expressly refers Briinnich’s No. 8 as the
young, and No. 7 as the old, while No. 9, the dark one, he with-
out hesitation quotes as a synonym of his F. rusticolus. Fab-
l'icus, therefore, restricted the name islandus to the white
species. To us who accept Briinnich’s names the species must
stand as

Falco islandus Brunnich as restricted by Fabricius ,

while English authors— starting from the 12th edition— will
have to call it

Falco islandus Fabricius , 1780.

It is a matter of regret that Gmelin when editing the Systema
Natuialis eight years later overlooked Fabricius’s* ‘Fauna
Groenlandica, thus committing the blunder of applying Brun-
nich s islandus to No. 9, the dark one, while he treated No. 7
and No. 8, respectively, as var. p albus and var. 7 maculatus ,
names occurring four pages earlier than his Falco candicans and
F. candicans p islandicus , which this arch-compiler named from
Brisson, not for a moment suspecting that he on an earlier page
had given them other names ! It would have been of very
little consequence what Gmelin did if later authors had not per-
petuated his blunder, though we may add at once that not all
have done so. It is, perhaps, not possible to get up a pluri-
morum auctorum list, but the White Gyrfalcon ( Falco candi-
cans plur. auct.) may still be quoted as Falco islandus

t Seebohm, in his Hist. Brit. B. Eggs, quotes 'Faber' instead of Fabricius. Faber
and Fabricius were two different persons !

Briinnich, 1764, or Fabricius, 1780 (nec Gmelin, 1788, nec auct.
plur.), Latham, 1787 and 1790, Bechstein, Meyer* and Wolf,
Temminck, Audubon, Swainson and Richardson, Gould, Jdolboll,
etc. The reinstatement of the proper name may cause some
inconvenience in the beginning, and somebody may ask : Must
we always be correct? I will answer that we must be correct
in this case as in others (cf. Sylvia salicaria , Sylvia rufa .
Sterna hirundo , and Stercorarius 'parasiticus') , and that the
correct name in time will be as well understood as Pendulinus
(intellige Xanthornus ) , Scops giu , Otus accipitrinus , Lanius
auriculatus or pomeranus , or, as I should say, Euneoctonus
senator , Accentor ■ collaris , Phylloscopus , collybita , Anthus
trivial is, Gallinago ccelestis , Tringa striata , Totanus canes-
cens , Ardea ralloides , Buhveria colombina (intellige _Z>’. 3 z</-
iverii ), Diomedea albatrus (intellige Zh brachyura plur. auct.),
Balearica chrysopelargus , CEdicnemus illyricus , etc., etc.
There are two principles by which the question of the names
can be settled, the principle of priority or the auctorum-pluri-
morum-principle. As to these I will make Howard Saunder’s
words mine, only substituting the name Falco islandus for
that of Lanius pomeranus : “ The earliest unimpeachable de-
scription of the White Falcon is that of Falco islandus , Brun-
nich or Fabricius ; and by the existing rules we must accept
it, and get used to it as soon as possible. Those who refuse
to do this, and adopt names merely because they have been
sanctioned by the number or the authoritative weight of em-
ployers, will certainly go further and probably fare worse.”
I will add, however, that the principle of priority must be
carried out regardless of consequences and not in the usual
slipshod manner, or else it is worse than the antagonistic
system ; it must also be carried out without delay, that “ we may
get used to the new names as soon as possible,” or else these
changes will go on slowly but in all future. So much for those
who profess to believe that I “take a special delight in bring-
ing forward wholesale changes of familiar names.”

Having examined the large material (about 75 specimens) of

* Meyer seems to have been the first one to suspect the true relationship between
gyrfalco and islandus , for in his “Vog. Liv- und Esthl.’’ (1815) p. 20, he says : “In den
Taschenbuch der deutschen Vogelkunde habe ich Falco Gyrfalco als eine Abart des
F. islandus aufgefuhrt, allein ich bin doch jetzt geneigt, ihn eher fur eine eigene Art zu
ha lien.”

Gyrfalcons in the U. S. National Museum, in company with Mr.
R. Ridgway, we came to the following conclusions :

1. There are two distinct species of Gyrfalcons, the ‘white,’
and the ‘brown.’

2. The latter is divisible into three geographical races, the
typical (Scandinavian) form, the Iceland-Greenland form, and
the Labrador form.

3. We are, at present, unable to appreciate the distinction of
the so-called E. holboelli and E. sacer Forst.

I therefore propose that the North American forms be recog-
nized as

R. 412. Falco islandus Brunn. White Gyrfalcon.

41 2a. Falco rusticolus Linn. Gray Gyrfalcon.

412*$. Falco rusticolus gyrfalco {Linn.). Gyrfalcon.

412c. Falco rusticolus obsoletus ( Gm .). Labrador
Gyrfalcon.

The following synonyms of No. 412 and 412 a may be found
useful by those wishing to go further into details :

412. Falco islandus Brunn. White Gyrfalcon.

1764 . — Falco islandus Brunnich, Orn. Bor. p. 2, ns. 7 & 8. — Fabricius,
Fauna Groenf. p. 58 (1780). — Latham, Synops. Suppl. I, p. 282,
(1787 ). — Bechstein, Orn. Taschenb. p. 40 (1803).

1783 . — Falco gyrfalco Boddaert, Tabl. Pl-Enl. p. 26) (nec Linn.).

1786 . — Falco rusticolus Mohr, Islandsk Naturh. p.. 19 (part.).

1788 . — Falco islandus , |3 albus Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, p. 271.

1788 . — Falco islandus y maculatus Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, p. 271.

1788 . — Falco candicans Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, p. 275.

1790. — Falco islandicus Latham, Ind. Orn. I, p. 32. — Mey. & Wolf,
Tasch. V. Deutschl. I, p. 65 iY8io). Temm., Man. d’Orn. 2
ed. p. 17 (1820). — Sw. & Rich. Fauna Bor. Am. II, p. 27
(1831). — Audub. B. Am. (pi. ccclxvi) (1836). — Gould, B. of Eur.
I (pi. 19) (1837). — Audub. B. Am. 8vo ed. I, p. 81 (1839). —
Holboell, Faun. Gronl. (p. 18) (1854).

1806 . — Falco groenlandicus Turton, Gen. Syst. Nat. I (p. 147) (nec
Daudin, 1800). — Hancock, Ann. N. H. II, p. 249 (1839).

1854 . — Falco islandicus candicans Holboell, Zeitschr. Ges. Naturw. Ill
(p. 426).

i860 . — Falco gyrfalco var. candicans Schrenck, Reis. Amurl. I, p. 228.
1874 . — Hierofalco holboelli Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. I, pi xiii, right-
hand figure.

412 a. Falco rusticolus Linn. Gkay Gyrfai.con.

1758- — Falco rusticolus Linn. S. N. 10 ed. I, p. 88. — Id . , S. N. 12 ed.

p. 125 (1766). — Fabricius, Fauna Groenl. p. 55 (1780). — Mohr,
Islandsk Naturh. p. 19 (part.) (1786). — Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, p_
268 (1788). — Latham, Ind. Orn. I, p. 28 (1790).

1764. — Falco islandus Brunnich, Orn. Bor. p. 2, No. 9. — Gmelin,
Syst. Nat. I, p. 271.

1776. — Falco islandus fuscus Muller, Prod. Zool. Dan. (p. 73 and
pag. viii, fide Fabr.).

1780. — Falco fuscus Fabricius, Fauna Groenl. p 56.

1783. — Falco gyrfalco Boddaert, Tabl. PI. Enl. p. 13 (nec Linn.).

1788. — Falco candicans |3 islandicus Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, p. 275.

1800. — Falco islandicus Daudin, Tr. d’Orn. II, p. 100 (nec Latham).

1800. — Falco groenlandicus Daudin, Tr. d’Orn. II, p. 107 (nec Hanc.). —
Brehm, Isis, 1826, p. 990.

1854. — Falco arcticus IIolboell, Zeitschr. Ges. Naturw. Ill (p. 426)
(nec. F. communis |i arcticus Gmel. 1788).

1862. — Falco gyrfalco groejilandicus Schlegel, Mus. P. B. Falc. p. 13.

1862. — Falco gyrfalco islandicus Schlegel, Mus. P. B. Falc. p. 14.

1873. — Falco holboelli Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 415.

qq ) Falco gyrfalco candicans 1 0 ,

i88 3 - I Falco candicans gyrfalco } Seeboiim, Brit. B. Eggs, I, p. 16.

1884 . — Hierofalco islandus a holboelli Gurney, Diurn. B. Prey. p. 111.

Smithsonian Institution,

Washington , D. C., Feb. 12, /SSy.

-Auk, 2, April, 1886. p.

PPLEMENTARY NOTES ON THE ORNITHOLOG;
CHESTER COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLII

BY LEVER ETT M. LOOMIS

The writer, in continuing hisja-efes on the birds of Chester
County, South Carolina, 'vroaM express his great indebtedness to
the late Dr. T. M. Brewbr, ndfqnly for the careful revision of his
former work, btjf-Hor many very valuable suggestions in his
studies of thpTJrnithology of this region.

Since-- the publication of the ‘ Partial" List,’ * thirty-eight
species and two subspecies have been added to those already

* Bull. Nutt. Ornith. Club, Vol. IV, No. 4, pp. 209-218, Oct. 1879.

9

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S°m« A* c . Bds. Soutk.
A. Hmgmrm,, ed. by

Falco rusticolus. Gray Gyrfalcon. — [From skins that have been
sent to me by Mr. Hagerup, and which have been examined with Mr.
William Brewster’s assistance, it is evident that it is to the above species
the birds Mr. Hagerup writes of must be referred.— M. C.]

Gyi falcons reside during the entire year in southern Greenland and
breed there, but are met with near the settlement more frequently in
winter than in summer; in the latter season they are quite rare.

On June 3, i886 ; Mr. Hagerup shot a female in gray plumage with a naked
breeding-spot on the breast. In its stomach were feathers and claws of
Ptarmigan. The length of this bird was 23 inches, Danish. On August
11 a dark-colored specimen was obtained which measured 19I inches. One
or two more in dark plumage were seen during the summer. In winter
many came from the north, the first, in 1886, appearing on November 24.

In his notes Mr. Hagerup writes : — In November five were seen — all white ;
in December fifteen or twenty — only one of these was dark-colored; in
January twelve — two were dark ; in February none; in March two — white;
in April four two dark. ’ From these and other observations Mr. Hagerup
has concluded that the white form (F. islaiidus ) predominates i n winter
and the gray form (F. rusticolus ) in summer.

These Falcons, like the Eagle, are most frequently seen along the upper
portion of the fjord after gales or snowstorms.

Mr. Hagerup writes that his Pigeons are very much afraid of these
Falcons and on the approach of their dreaded enemy seek the nearest hid-
ing place, but when there is no opportunity to hide they escape by flight,
mounting into the air to a great height. It is a grand sight to watch a
fierce Falcon chasing a Pigeon through mid-air. As yet, none of the Pigeons
have been caught; they seem to understand just how to avoid the Falcon,
but it is reported that sometimes young birds have been thus preyed upon.

Those who have watched both the Gyrfalcon and the Peregrine while
chasing Pigeons consider that the latter has much the swifter flight and is
the more dexterous. During these chases the Falcons often come within
gun-shot, but the flight is so swift it is difficult to hit them.

At times the Falcon is followed by a Raven or two, and they swoop after
each other, but this seems to be a mere matter of play.

Mr. Hagerup once saw a large Gyrfalcon in very dark plumage on the

ice eating a sea-bird. The Falcon flew to the land with his prey and soon
a white-plumaged bird of this same genus came down from the mountain
and appeared desirous to join in the feast, but kept at a respectful distance.
When the dark bird was approached by the gunner it flew off, carrying its
unfinished meal, and the white bird followed steadily on — moving as the
location of the feast was moved.

The cry of these Falcons, which is often heard when two or more are
in company, is reported by Mr. Hagerup as ‘‘a not loud, quivering, length-
ened tune, much resembling that of Falco tinnunculus .”

In 1886 a nest containing three eggs was reached by a Greenlander,
on a cliff near Frederickshaab. Mr. Hagerup was informed by Director
Moller that this nest was placed on a perpendicular cliff, but a snow drift
sloping advantageously enabled the man to reach it.

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&VVM 41

gal co r . gyrfalco .

Concord, Mass.

1896.
Nov. 21 .

I

I

Despite the depressing and very disagreeable weather I
saw some interesting birds and one that was actually new to me.
I tool; it to be a Gray GyrfalconC Falco ^ Kvrfalco ). It was of

A

about the size and general coloring of an immature female Gos-
hawk but it had the long, sharp-pointed Falcon wings and it
flapped them as a Duckhawk does with a continuous, rapid, vi-
brating movement. My experience with this bird was as fol-
lows:- I was paddling past the Buttfick's on my way down
river at about 8.30 A.M. when I noticed three tame Pigeons
flying high in, air towards Derby's barn coming from the direc-
tion of the town. Just as they were passing over the But-
tricks' house the Falcon appeared about 100 yards off and
coming directly towards them. They turned back at once at the
same time separating. The a chose a white bird (the other two
were blue ) and pursued it hotly. The Pigeon made scarce 100
yards before it was overtaken but it had been rising the while
and when its pursuer came up he was a yard or more under it.
Wheeling with easy grace and bounding upward twenty feet or
more with a single effort of his powerful wings he got well
above his prey and shot towards it down a stee£j incline. "Pooh
bird, your fate is sealed"! I said to myself as, with the
field glass pressed to my eyes, I gazed breathlessly watching
the Falcon's belly with the full expectation of seeing him

Pal go r . gvrfalco .

Concord, Mass.

1896. extend his legs to seize his victim. To my surprise he did

I Nov. 21. not show so much as the tips of his talons hut on overtaking

j

| (No. 2). tlie Pigeon he seemed to strike to strike it with his "breast,
half upsetting it and sending it a yard or more downward be-
fore it could resume its equilibrium. Then setting his wings
he scaled off swiftly towards the Estabrook woods - the di-
rection whence he had first come.- leaving the Pigeon to pur-
sue its way unmolested, at a lower level, to its home in the
Derby barn. What did it all mean? Was the Falcon merely a-
rausing himself or was he too slow or clumsy to strike the
Pigeon when apparently he had only to use his talons to make
it his prize? I have repeatedly seen the Duckhawk, as well
as other Hawks, fail in a similar way. On some occasions I
have thought that , like this Gyrfalcon, they were not really
in earnest; on others they appeared to lack the skill and
quickness necessary to secure their victims when the latter
were fairly brought within reach. Of one thing I am con-
vinced, viz., that nearly if not all our birds of prey includ
ing the Shrike lack persistence in the chase. If they fail
in the first swoop they frequently will not attempt a second
and I have rarely seen one of them try more than three times
in succession. Few, I feel, get more than one bird in four
or five. Cooper's Hawk may. He is the deadliest of them all

MacFari.ane’s Gerfalcon ( Falco gyrfalco sacer ) in Maine. —
Visiting Providence, R. I., in April last, my friend Mr. Frederick T.
Jenckg mentioned that there was a specimen of some form of Gerfalcon
in the Museum of Brown University in that city. I soon had the satisfac-
tion of gazing at the bird. It was labelled “ var. sacer and I think correctly
so, for it certainly is not candicans nor labradoraf. and is darker than any
examples or plates of islandu x that I have examined. Corresponding with
Professor J. W. P. Jenks, he has kindly written me in substance that the
bird was sent alive from Katalidin Irou-M orks (Piscataquis Co., Maine)
by Mr. C. II. Prouty to his bro her in Providence during December, 1876.

It” had caught several hens, and, having pursued one under a barn through
a small opening, was itself caught in the arms of a man as it came out.
The Gerfalcon soon (lied; the wings were cut off, and the body was
buried. Nearly a week afterwards a Mr. Adcock saw and picked up the
wings from a stable floor, and, recognizing his old English la'con, called
for the body, which he dug up and mounted. Professor Jenks happened
to see the specimen, and secured it for the University collection.

I think MacFarlane’s Gerfalcon has not before been known to occur in
any portion of Eastern North America, nor at all outside of Arctic North-
west America. The one now cited will make the third form of Gerfalcon
known to have been taken in New England. 1 cannot ascertain for a cer-
tainty that candicans has yet visited us. Mr. H. G. \ ennor records two
examples at Montreal. The black Labrador bird has so far been the most
frequent visitor to the Canadas, the Provinces, and the United States.

I have record of several, one of which, now announced, was shot in Essex
Co., Mass., a few years since, and is in the collection of the Essex Insti-
tute. — H. A. Pl’rdik, Newton, Manx.

+ Ml-. Ridgway, with whom I have lately had interesting correspondence on
the Gerfalcon group, writes me that he agrees with Mr. J. H. Gurney (see
Ibis, 1876, p. 234), that Falco obsolctus of Gmelin, based on Pennant’s “ Plain
Falcon,” belongs to some race of Gerfalcon, but he believes that it should be
assigned to the now better known dark Labrador bird, rather than to any plu-
mage of islandus or gyrfalco ; also that it cannot relate to Buteo svxiinsoni , as
associated by R. B. Sharpe. Mr. Ridgway still holds that sacer can be varie-
tally separated from F. gyrfalco of Northern Europe and Asia, in contradis-
tinction to the later views held by English writers.

Ball. N. O.O. 4, July, 1878, p. /S'#-/??.

4

Occurrence of a third Massachusetts specimen of the Lab-
rador Gyrfalcon ( Falco gyrfalco obsoletus).—K Gyrfalcon which I
refer to variety obsoletus has just come into my possession through the
kind offices of Mr. Charles I. Goodale, the well-known Boston taxider-
mist. It was shot in Stowe, Mass., in 1881, and mounted by S. Jillson of
Hudson. It is a male in a plumage agreeing closely with that described
by Mr Ridoway* as the fully adult condition of the male of obsoletus.
This specimen appears to be only the third which is known to have
occurred in Massachusetts^-WiULiAM Brewster, Cambridge., Mass.

Bull. N> 0.0. 8. July. 1883. P. /Si i-

Black Gyrfalcon Taken at Lynn,
Mass.

J <UA WMtW,

I received a male specimen of tlie Black
I Gyrfalcon, killed near here on January 1, 1891.

A. M. Tafts.

Lynn, Mass.

Q&O.XVXt April. 1881. p .'6/-

Jeb Falcon, killed at Point Judith,
Rhode Island, during the month of Octo-
ber. — fTencks.

Q.&Q. Vlll, Dec. 1883.

Another Gyrfalcon in Rhode Island. — A specimen of the variety sacer
was killed at Point Judith, R. I., Oct. n, 1883, by E. S. Hopkins, Esq.,
of this city. He also killed an adult Duck Hawk the same day, which is
the second I have examined from the same locality this month, Mr. R.. G.
Hazard possessing the first one, a beautiful bird of the year. Gunners on
the seaboard report Hawks as being unusually plentiful this autumn. —
Fred. T. Jencks, Providence , R. I.

Auk, I, J&d,, 1884. p. ^ ,

Conn*- circ trfi

The Black Gyrfalcon in Connecticut. — A fine female Falco rusticolus
obsoletus was shot at Durham, Conn., Jan. 27, 1907, and sent to me and is
now in my collection. This specimen appears to be the only one known o
have occurred in Connecticut.— Jno. H. Sage, Portland, Conn.

Auk 2« ,

Oct - 1009 ,*.

4. Falco sacer, Font. McFarlane’s Gerfalcon. — Through the
kindness of Mr. John Wallace I procured a handsomely-mounted speci-
men of this bird, which had been shot at Pond Quogue, Long Island, by
William Lane, in 1877, and which was presented by Mr. Lane to a taxi-
dermist at Riverhead, by whom it was mounted. This bird has been
examined by Mr. George A. Lawrence and Mr. Robert Ridgway, and
pronounced to be an adult male of this variety. The markings are very
distinct, and much darker than those of a Falco sacer in the American
Museum at Central Park, New York.

/ f i ,

Bull N.O.O, 5, April, 1880, p, //7.

is <-■ ' vd fLuA

Dutcher, Bare Long Island Birds.

a. is-) ■( . r s /-

9 f -

tA'. 4

‘Hierofalco Islandicus {Sabine). Jer. Falcon.”— R ecorded bv Mr
George N. Lawrence* in his list, in the following words : “This species is

of rare occurence in our vicinity. A beautiful specimen, not quite adult,
was most liberally presented to me by our fellow member Mr. John Ak-
hurst, taxidermist, ofBrooklyn ; it was killed on Long Island in the winter
of 1856.” Subsequently Mr. Lawrence informed me that the specimen in
the Long Island Historical collection had been presented by him and was
the one referred to above.

1 Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist., Vol. VIII, 1S66, p. 280.

l/j rAi-A AAirx/y

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Auk X. July, 1893 p 274-6.

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Falco sacer , vir. gyrfalco. Quite an ex-
citement was recently created here by the
report that an Eagle had been captured
alive and brought to the military post by a
man living on Goose Creek, some forty
miles from here. As nobody seemed to be
able to tell what it really was, and think-
ing it was too small for an Eagle, they
dubbed it Rock Eagle. I visited the place
where it was confined, a stable, and found
it was a Gyrfalcon ( Falco sacer,) which
had probably come this far south because
of the severe winter. As the specimen is
alive I could not take measurements, but
judging as near as possible, find as follows :

A little over two feet long, wing about 15
or 16 inches, tail 8 or 9, rather more
than less ; tarsus feathered half way down
front, bare strip behind, (in all probability
this is variation Gyrfalco ;) bill and claws
dark, crown darker than back, and heavy
moustaches. I tried to buy this specimen
but the owner would not sell. However,

I have not given up all hopes of getting it
yet. It sits under a carriage without being
fastened and is fed on raw beef, holding
the meat by one claw and tearing off small
pieces. Although not an Eagle, it is a much
rarer bird for this region. I do not know
of any having been taken as far south as
this. — Chas. F. Morrison, Ft. McKinney,
Wyoming.

[Comparing our correspondent’s description of this 11 Gyr-
falcon ” with that in the authorities, leaves us in some de-
gree of doubt as to the precise variety of the specimen
found. In Fauna Boreali Americana, Falco sacer is said
to be the “immature Gyrfalcon,” and the Gyrfalcon, Falco
Islandicus, (Latham.) In the illustration in “ Animal King-
dom,” the American Gyrfalcon, F. Greenlandicus , has the
tarsus covered by hock feathers. Perhaps some of our cor-
respondents who have undoubted specimens of each variety
of Gyrfalcon will be able to throw light upon the subject.
Comparing Check Lists, etc., on this matter has brought
forcibly before us the necessity for a uniform and authori-
tative system of nomenclature. “ From our correspon-
dent’s description we suppose he identifies the bird as a
specimen of Hierofalco gyrfalco sacer , (_Fors£.)— 4125. of
last Smithsonian Check List.”— Editor,]

q.&Q. IX. May. 1884. p. S Ti~

f pit/,

A Pbilad.lpMaCoUection of Eggeof

llierofaleo cjyrfalco sacer. McFarlane’s Gyr-
falcon. One set of two.

O.&O. XIV. Mar. J889 p.45

Collection of Baptores Eggs. J.P-N.

Macfurhuie’a Oyrialcon, 1-2, 1 2

O.&O. XV. Apr. 1890. p. 5Q

W c

UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM

UNDER DIRECTION OF

THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

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1004. A Very Rare Bird in ffliodc Island. [By F. T. Jencks.J Ibid . 7
P* 6- ‘‘A Young Gy rfalcon , Ilierofalco Gyrfalco , var. surer" was killed at 1 '

Point Judith, Oct. u, 1883, by E. S. Hopkins. 3 an 3 »"N©t 9 sN&t. fill, %

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1004. y F^ry Rare Bird in folio de Island. [By F. T. Jencks.'] Ibid .,

P* 6- — “A Young Gvrfalcon, Hierofalco Gyrfalco , var. sacer ” was killed at /-
Point Judith, Oct. 11, 1SS3, by E. S. Hopkins. !

MAR 30 1907

Recent Capture of a Jerfalcon at Portland, Me.,
and Review of Local Records of the Group.

By Arthur H. Norton, Portland.

The specimen of Falco rusticolus gyrfalco , represented in Plate I,
was killed at North Deering, now a part of Portland, on December
1 1 , 1906. It swooped into the hen yard of Mrs. John Smith on Allen
Avenue, killing a large, pugnacious rooster, which it speedily began
to devour. The outcry of the poultry attracted attention, which
caused the bird to leap to flight, thrusting its head through the wire
yard, where it was dispatched with a cudgel by Cyrus Thurlow.
It was mounted and is still in the possession of Mrs. Smith.

This account of desperate strength calls to mind that given by
Mr. H. A. Purdie, 1 of the specimen with such a remarkable hist ory

p.tf

now in the museum of Brown University, which was caught in the j P'ty
arms of a man as it emerged from beneath a barn where it had pur-
sued a fowl.

The present specimen is considerably darker than the one just
mentioned. It was examined by Mr. Nathan Clifford Brown and
the writer, both referring it to gyrfalco independently of the other.

A photographic print of it was also pronounced gyrfalco by Dr.
Robert Ridgway.

With the presentation of the foregoing record a review of the
local specimens seems timely.

At the request of Mr. Nathan C. Brown, I have lately examined
the specimen recorded somewhat tentatively by him in April, 1882.

As a very small edition of the paper containing his original record
was issued, I quote from it: “Although I was able to make but a
hasty examination of the specimen before it was taken from the city,

iBull. Nutt. Orn. Club, Vol. XV, p. 188.

2,6

______

I should refer it with little hesitation to the islandicus [now rustico-
lus'] variety as above.” 1

While in the minds of those who have ever seen the specimen
there has been no doubt, the lapse of time and subsequent interpre-
tations 2 of the statement quoted made a critical re-examination seem
desirable. Prof. J. Y. Stanton, in whose collection it still is, gave
every opportunity to examine it carefully, and with him I am con-
vinced that Mr. Brown’s identification was correct, and that the
specimen is decidedly Falco rusticolus. It may be recalled that it
was taken on Cape Elizabeth, Me., October 13, 1877.

Prof. Stanton called my attention to the fact that the Black
Jerfalcon in the collection of Mr. Edw. P. Carman 3 was taken on
the coast near Portland. On tracing the matter, Mr. Carman has
given me the following data: “The Jerfalcon, or Eabrador Duck
Hawk, I shot in the fall at Spurwink, in the woods across the river
from Spurwink House, a place known as Mitchell’s.” 4 He has
since added the following: “The Hawk was in a very tall tree and
seemed very stupid, and when I opened it the stomach and throat KF ©
were full of feathers and flesh. I should have said the Hawk had
dined upon Wild Pigeon.”'’ As Mr. Carman was away from home,
he was unable to furnish the date of the capture.

Hence our local fauna must contain Falco rusticolus , F. r. gyr-
falco and F. r. obsoletus. It remains to be said that the specimen of
Falco islandus in the museum of Bates College, once referred to as a
local specimen, 6 was so referred through a misunderstanding, Prof.
Stanton assuring me that it was purchased out of the State, and its
origin is uncertain.

1 Brown, Proc. Portland Soc. Nat. Hist., Vol. II, p. 2.

2 Brewster, Minot’s Band and Game Birds of New Eng., 2nd Ed., p. 479.

3 Knight, Bull. Univ. of Me., No. 3, p. 64.

4 Carman, Epist., Jan. 21, 1907.

5 Carman, Epist., Eeb. 14, 1907.

6 Norton, Jour. Me. Orn. Soc., Vol. Ill, p. 6.

2,6

Mounted Jkrfaucon.

Captured at Portland, Maine, Dec. 11, 1906. See Description

by Arthur H. Norton on page 18.

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Birds ■within Ten Miles of Point
de Monts, Can, Comeau & Merriam

68. Falco sacer obsoletus. Labrador Gyrfalcon. — Mr. Cornea’
has killed several of these rare Falcons in the vicinity of Godbout.

Bua N.O.O, 7 t Qot, 1882. p,237

Birdo of N.E. coast of Labrador
y Henry B. Bigelow.

57. Falco rusticolus obsoletus. Labrador Gyrfalcon, — Rare. One
at Port Manvers, September 4.

Auk, XIX, Jan., 1902, p.29.

The Black Gyrfalcon ( Falco rusticolus obsoletus ) in Eastern Maine. — ■
Mr. F. B. Webster has just sold me a typical example (?) of this fine Fal-
con which came to him in the flesh from a gunner at Rockland, Maine.
It was received Nov. 26, i 8 S< 5 , and judging from appearances, had been
killed about a week or ten days previous to this date. — William Brew-
ster, Cambridge , Mass. Atik, 4 * 1 180 t > P, ,

Black Gyrfalcon {Falco rusticolus obsoletus ) in Maine. — A fine female
Black Gryfalcon was shot in this city on Dec. 21, 1898. The bird was
seen in pursuit of a domestic pigeon by Adrian De Costa, who went to
his house for his gun and shot the specimen, which showed no fear, and
appeared to entirely disregard his presence. Mr. De Costa sold the bird
to S. L. Crosby, the taxidermist, from whom I obtained it for my collec-
tion. — Harry Merrill, Bangor, Maine.

Auk, XVI, April, 1899, p.

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General Notes,

occurrence of the Black Gyrfalcon in Rhode Island —1 beg to report
the occurrence on November 22, 1891, of the Black Gyrfalcon (. Falco
rusticohis obsoletus) on the little island ofConanicut near Newport, Rhode
s and. The specimen secured was a female, in splendid black plumage.
It was shot while perched on a haystack on Capt. Audley Clarke’s farm,
not far from Jamestown, which is a seaside town right opposite Newport

°ret ) or°ted n h U hn 1 l land i in ^arragansett Bay. The person who shot it
reported it had captured a rat and was feeding “/hSreon^t^ the time"

Several rat skins were noticed in the neighborhood, from which it may
be inferred that the b.rd had had a considerable meal on rats. The mate
reported to me to have presented the same dark, almost black appearance’
was no in sight when the female was killed, but is said to have appeared
about the locality repeatedly, after November 23, i8 9 t, up to Maich 20,
1892 Seveial local gunners tried to obtain it, but it was too wild and wary
to allow any one within shot. He thus seems to have Remained for form
months ,n the vicinity, in the apparent hope of once more meeting his
female companion, who may have accompanied him from the far shores
abrador. The weather was clear on the day the bird was shot, but

XtuT C ° " had been UnSettled and -veral days

noWeV P t Cime K’ u h l Ch rem,ndS 0ne 0f anEa S le in miniature and is a

and critchley of P d 7 “”“ adminibl ^ b - v s Southwick

Nat, m i l 7 c ° V e r e - 11 WaS secured fol ' the Museum of the
Natura History Society of Newport, where an ornithological collection
IS now in process of formation. -A. O’D. Taylor, Ne-wLt * /

Aak July, 1892.' p. 300-

Auk, XV, Jan., 1898, p.

Black Gyrfalcon ( Falco rusticolus obsoletus') in Rhode Island. — In
looking over some newly-received bird skins in the collection of Mr. Jas.
P. Babbitt of this city, I came across a specimen, a fine female in nearly
full plumage, of this rare Falcon, which I succeeded in purchasing and
added to my collection. It was shot by Mr. Arthur Scudder at Tiverton,
R. I., on December 26, 1896. He was duck shooting from a boat over

wooden decoys, and at the time the Gyrfalcon was shot it was hovering
over the decoys, as if preparing to pounce upon one of them. I referred
it to this form by Ridgway’s ‘ Manual, ’ and after carefully studying over
Mr. William Brewster’s five series of Gyrfalcons, I felt still more certain
of its identity. — A. C. Bent, Taunton , Mass.

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7. Falco gyrfalco obsoletus. Labrador Gyrfalcon. — Mr. J. Wal-
lace, of New York, informs me that a fine specimen of this bird, killed in
the fall two or three years ago, on the north shore of Long Island in
Queen’s County, passed through his hands. It is now in the collection of
Mr. Geo. A. Boardman.

Bull. N. O.O. e.April. 1881, p.

Further Notes on the Labrador Gyrfalcon taken on Long
Island, N. Y.-In the Bulletin for April, 1881, page 126, I recorded the
capture of Falco gyrfalco obsoletus on Long Island, in Queens County, my
information being derived from Mr. J. Wallace of New York City. Sfnce
then I have received a more detailed account of the matter from the gen-
tleman above named, and to correct some doubts which have probably
arisen as to the accuracy of my note, I make this somewhat lengthy
statement. The bird in question was shot in the autumn of 1875, near
Flushing, Queens Co., and brought to Mr. Wallace by two men.' They
were in haste and left saying they would return in a few days and give
the particulars of the bird’s capture. They failed to do so, however, and
it was nearly two years before Mr. Wallace again met them. In the mean-
time he had presented the Falcon to Mr. George A. Boardman. Mr. Wal-
lace, knowing nothing of the bird except that it had been brought to him
by two men, from Westchester County, told Mr. Boardman it had prob-
ably been killed in that locality. Mr. Boardman published a note to
that effect in the “Rod and Gun” (Vol. VII, Dec. 4, 1875, p. 153).
When Mr. Wallace again met one of the men who had brought him the
bird, he learned that the man and his companion were fishing in a boat
not far from Flushing when they saw the Hawk perched upon a tree on
the shore, and having a gun with them they easily secured it.— De L.
Berier, Fort Hamilton , Lo?i& Island , N. F

Bull N.’O.O, S.Qct, 1881 , p, M

Ridgway on the Plumage of Gyrfalcons.

93

detailed description of the perfect adult dress of this dark form of
the Gyrfalcon has, to my knowledge, been published.

Adult — Above continuous plumbeous-slate, interrupted by a some-
what Y-sbaped patch of pale buff, or buffy white, longiludinal markings
on the nape ; the head perfectly uniform, the feathers of the dorsal-region
and wings showing paler borders and transverse spots, there being about
one pair (one on each web) of the latter on the exposed portion of each
feather; remiges and primary coverts plumbeous-slate, without any spots,
but with paler edges. Rump and upper tail-coverts more bluish than the
back, and with distinct transverse spots and bars of light bluish-plumbeous,
these bars regular and sharply defined on the upper tail-coverts, where
they average, like the darker ones, about .25 of an inch in width; the
shafts of these feathers conspicuously darker than the ground-color. Tail
similar in colors and markings to the upper coverts, there. being about
eight or nine bands on that portion of the tail not concealed by the coverts ;
the light bars more or less mottled, finely, with darker ; tip of the tail,

'60. xotanus octiropus (L,inn.) lemm. Green Sandpiper. —
Brewer, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, III, Jan., 1878,49. Nova Scotia (apud
Hurting). /

.'ifi. Parra gymnostoma, Wagler. Mexican Jacana. ^-Merrill,
Bull. NiAt. Orn. Club, I, Nov., 1876, 88. Vicinity of FoiVBfown, Texas
(Merritt)S. ' /

37. Lams canus, Linn. Common European Gull. — Brewer, Bull.
Nutt. Orn. Cmb, III, Jan. 1878, 50. Labrador (fide Sjaunders).

38. Podiceps dominicus, La/h. San Dominpo Grebe. — Merrill,
Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, I, Nov., 1876,88. Fort Brown, Texas {Merrill').

Note. — As it hasTipt seemed advisable to cite in full in the
foregoing list all the refef^nces relating to the occurrence of the
species added by Dr. Merrilland Mr. Sennett, it may be stated that
full synonymy and detailed descriptions of the Rio Grande birds
added by these gentlemen may^be fbmid in the following papers : —

1. Notes on the Ornithology of the LowciKRio Grande of Texas, from
Observations made during the Season of 1877. By George B. Sennett.
Edited, with Annotations, by Dr. Elliott Coues, U. S. A., Bull. U. S. Geol.
Surv. Terr., Yol. IV, pp. V-66, February 5, 1878.

2. Further Notes on the Ornithology of the LovverAljo Grande of
Texas, from Observations made during the Spring of 1878. Bythe same.
Bull. U. S. Geol. Surv. Terr., Vol. V, pp. 371-440, November 3 8 79,

3. Notes on tjie Ornithology of Southern Texas, being a List ofNpirds
observed in the Vicinity of Fort Brown, Texas, from February, 1876yt.o
June, 18^8. By Dr. James C. Merrill, Assist. Surg. U. S. A. [With An-'
notations by Robert Ridgway and Dr. T. M. Brewer.] Proc. U. S. Nat.
Mus.f Vol. I, 1878, pp. 118-173.

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Faloo j>. anal urn .

Cambridge

1893.

J an , 22 .

, Mass.

Faxon has repeatedly seen a Hawk which he could not i-
dentifv, in Fresh Pond Grove this winter. Happening to think
of it I walked over towards the Grove, after leaving the
fountain, and soon discovered the bird sitting on the top of
a tall pine. The moment I put my glass on it I saw that it
was a male Duck Hawk in full plumage the first that I have
ever seen or heard of in this vicinity in winter. It was
perched on a dead branch and the sunlight striking fairly on
its breast brought out the color and markings with perfect
distinctness. The blackish mustache was very conspicuous and
I could see that there was a good deal of buffy on the breast
and under parts. The bird's attutude was erect, its pose firm
yet easy, its outlines clear-cut. When I was perhaps 100
yards from the tree it started and after sailing in circles
for a moment, once darting down among the trees and then
bounding upward again, it crossed the rjond, flying steadily
and not very rapidly, flapping its wings quickly a few times
and then gliding on set wings much in the manner of a Buteo.

As it went off I saw that the back was clear bluish slaty.

The tail was closed during flight and looked long and pointed.
The bird passed nearly over the fountain without appearing
either to notice or to alarm the Golden-eye drake and finally

alighted in the top of an old oak on the west side of the cove-

Cambridge
1893.
Jan. 22.
(No. 2).

Jan . 24 .

Falco p.. anatum .

Mass .

Near the tree where I first saw it the snow was strewn with
the feathers of a Tree Sparrow which had evidently been
plucked by a Hawk of some kind and probably by this very Fal-
con.

Drove to Fresh Pond 'with Faxon at 4.15 P.M. Leaving the
horse and sleigh in the lane in George’s care we made careful
search through the hemlock grove for traces of the Duck Hawk
hoping to find some evidence as to what he has been eating
these past two weeks. In this we were disappointed for we
saw neither fur nor feather save the few feathers of the Tree
Sparrow noted on the 22d. But we started the Hawk himself-
from a hemlock on the edge of the grove near its H.W. extrem-
ity next the pond. The bird flew from the middle of the tree
and at first made straight out over the pond then, curving to
the left, described a large circle around the grove and cross-
ing Cambridge Nook alighted in one the oaks on the Tudor place
choosing a large branch near the middle of the tree. During
this flight the bird moved at amazing speed although this #as
not apparent except when he passed some prominent object for
he did not appear to be exerting himself and the wing beats

were seemingly very easy.

Elorida,

Canaveral, Banana Creek

^9-coC../ 44 uv^

/

189 0
Mar7-I5

Common, from one to four or five individuals being seen daily.
These were invariably flying and generally scaling swiftly along
close to the water, following the course of the bays or creeks. On
the 7th as our boat was making its way up Banana Creek we came to a
an enormous bed of Soots, which as usual took wing,- each ris-

ing independently- and flying above ;is in every direction and so
thickly that the air was simply filled with them. While sitting
in the bovir of the boat watching them I suddenly saw one fall ver-
tically as if shot. It struck the water with a heavy splash and
for a minute lay on its back with its feet kicking j then ; turning
tight side up, it began to swim ab out ^s®peedily and as the boat
approached attempted to take wing but was unable to clear the
water. While wondering if this accident could have been caused

by the bird*s striking its wings against those of another and thus
breaking), them, I saw a second Coot begin to descend in a similar
manner, but this bird was in the clutches of a Duck Hawk , which,
after falling to withirn eight, o* ten feet of the water, let go
its hold. Th«4 Coot , like the struck on its back and for a

minute or two seemed to be dead, but when our boat was within a
few yards of it, it turned over, swam a little way, and then took
flight, apparently as well as ever. Whether our approach-- we

were wi thin about fifty yards of the second ®hot when it fell

caused the Duck Hawk to loose its hold, or whether it was simply
catching and pinching these Coots in sport, I was unable to decide.
During our stay, we saw injured Coots daily, wliThh very likely had
been caught and released by these Hawks. On three occasions I saw
a Duck Hawk shase a Scaup Duck. Although the Duck exerted its
powers of wing to the utmost and flew , as it seemed to me, tv/ice
as fast as I have ever seen a Duck fly under ordinary circumstan-
ces, the Hawk t - ■ a - f ' t en~rt with long, regular and apparently^

easy wing-beats, going at least two yards to the Duck’s one, ^over-
took it with the utmost ease. On the first two occasions, it aban-
doned the chase without apparent reason when it was within a
yard or two of the Duck, and when without doubt it could have
easily seized it by going only a short distance further. I suspec4-
ed at the time that it was not hungry and chased the Duck simply
in sport, a supposition which was fully confirmed by the ending
of the third chase that . I witnessed, when the H aw k, Upon over-
taking the Duck, turned slightly to one side and shot past it so

5 /

A

closely that for an instant the wings of the two birds seemed to
overlap and strike against one another. After dashing ahead of
the Puck for a distance of ten or fifteen yards, the ftawk turned
and went upward in a spiral course, allowing the Duck to pass
directly beneath it. In all three of these instances, the Duck
passed me within fifteen or twenty yards, making a loud hurtling
sound with its wings. The speed of the {kawk was sc great that
the eye could hardly follow it, and yet, as before stated, the
movement of its wings was apparently not rapid nor suggestive of
any great exelyction when the bird passed. Ont&*i& oecasion I saw
the ®Duck and its pursuer before they were within gunshot of me,
but although I would gladly have tried a shot at the Hawk, I found
it impossible to get my gun to my shoulder before it had passed
and was trat of range. On one of the occasions just described, the
chase passed directly ovdr my head- within eight or ten feet, when
I distinctly heard a slight rushing sound made by the DuckHawk's
wings. On the other two occasions, the»only sound that I could hear
was made by the Duck. Although the Duck Hawk is so noisy a bird
during the breeding season, I did not once hear one make a cry
during my stay at this place. The appearance of one of these Hawks
over a bay several miles in extent where thousands of Ducks were
feeding would often cause every bird to rise into the air and scat-
ter in every direction in the utmost terror, but the Coots never,
so far as I observed, took wing, although I repeatedly saw a Duck
Hawk scale directly over a bed, passing only a few yards a oveH
their heads.

Cc ciu — A &***£* 4^^^. u (Pe.c^^> ~^LL

7-c<^. TM>X^4 *g /*<-w'<s^i

r^ T^-Cc.

1 66. Falco peregrinus nsevius. Shot June 2, 1884.

Auk, I, July, 1884. p. Cjwn^L ,

An Ornithologist’s Summer in Labrador
M. Abbott Frazar.

Falco peregrinus anatum, Duck Hawk. Saw
three specimens at Esquimaux Point late in
May, one of which fell my prey.

O.&G. XII. Mar. 1887. p. 31.

Q /c/voCa <r^ /irr.«-nXiy C^u« a.^

^ rwlateW f

1967 , 7*s

133. Falco peregrinus anatum. Dtjck Hawk. — Regular fall migrant,
not common; young birds from September 18 to October 20; mature
birds are very rare, a female May 23, 1892, and a male September, 1902;
a young male in Mr. Maughan’s collection, taken June 25, 1894, is light
ash color all over.

Newfoundland Notes. A Trip up the
Humber River, Aug. 10 - Sept, 24, 1888.

21. Falco peregrinus anatum. Duck Hawk. — A guide described a
Hawk seen August 15, which must have been this species. Said to nest
on the cliffs along the river.

Louis H. Porter, New York Gity.
Auk, XVII, Jan. , 1900, pt JZ.

Birds of N.E. coast of Labrador
by Henry B . Bigelow.

58. Falco peregrinus anatum. Duck Hawk. — Fairly common, espe-
cially wherever the sandpipers were flocking.

Auk, XIX, Jan., 1902, p.29.

S2

/3-vusti i* — *j? '

TMcAu

2 ^- < 2 . /Z^A. £_ <y v*ct t~^J/~.

166. Falco peregrinus naevius. Shot June 2, 1884.

/yWr~ frt

Auk, I, July, 1884. v. Z9 cAc^x^JT ,

An Ornithologist’s Summer in Labrador
M. Abbott Frazar.

Falco peregrinus anatum, Duck Hawk. Saw
three specimens at Esquimaux Point late in
May, one ot which fell my prey.

O.&O. XII. Mar. 1887. p. 33.

Qas^cLo

^ d CL J

6*^ ^

IV, yo^y., 1 9 Of, y-,

133. Falco peregrinus anatum. Duck Hawk. — Regular fall migrant,
not common; young birds from September 18 to October 20; mature
birds are very rare, a female May 23, 1892, and a male September, 1902;
a young male in Mr. Maughan’s collection, taken June 25, 1894, is light
ash color all over.

Newfoundland Notes. A Trip up the
Humber Biver, Aug. 10 - Sept. 24, 1888.

2i. Falco peregrinus anatum. Duck Hawk. — A guide described a
Hawk seen August 15, which must have been this species. Said to nest
on the cliffs along the river.

Louis H. Porter, New York City,
Auk, XVII, Jan. , 1900, p. yz.

Birds of N.E. coast of Labrador
by Henry B . Bigelow.

58. Falco peregrinus anatum. Duck Hawk. — Fairly common, espe-
cially wherever the sandpipers were flocking.

Auk, XIX, Jan., 1902, p.29.

S3

I •»

ffalco u . an a turn .

Nantucket , Mass .

13 78 > While lunching on Smith's Point a superb Duck Hawk

Sept .23. came sweeping over the sand hills and circling higher and
higher, drifted out to sea to the southward.

779. A Few Bird Notes. Editorial. Ibid., No 2, p. 4. — Notes on the
arrival of birds in April at Amherst, and allusion to the finding of nests
of the Duck Hawk on Mount Tom and Sugar .Loaf Mountain in Massa-
chusetts. NVS, X

An

"l

~ ( X A
Ar Ottr J

<■<

Fa yOzz t%zzz

^<hK

SWfC/W/'

' 0 d=». Oh*. ne*.r Sheffield, Berkshire
Qjr, Maw. June 17 - 20 , ’ 88 . W. Faxon

BHck Ro C W P T g , ri T S ff anatUm - DUCK HaWK - A Pair established on
sj,un-i S 1116 TaC ° niC m ° Untains > "°rthwest of Isaac

Auk.TI. Jan. , IftM.p. 44

sr

Brief Notes.

The Northhampton Daily Gazette reports
jtlie finding of a Duck Hawk’s nest on Mount :

J'fom, by two boys, who succeeded in climbing j
lover the ledge and getting the three eggs. J

(f. w. .

fyjL&JkMZcrvni, t q.& O. Vol.17, June, 1802 p; 06

Brief Notes. '

Reading I. C. Green’s article in March
“O. & O.” on the breeding of the Duck
Hawk on Mt. Tom, I would say that in
October, 1892, a farmer brought to me a
young Duck Hawk that was shot near Mt.

Tom range. I mounted it and now have it
in my collection. It is a fine specimen.

J. W. Jackson.

O.&0,Vol. 18, May. 1893 p.78

Concord, Ma s s .

Faloo v . a na tun .

Pursuing a Greater Yellow-leg.

1894. See under Tot anus me 1 ano 1 e ucns .

Oct .17.

7 1 tf, C \ ^ t . A -o v < \ ’

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crv~*-v. ^ i’Tc l dTt v

/ix4-ezL4z-ir2^ <1^ */ -

|=4-txAAr^, vr.<A. ^ , VwATa/) ,

Falco peregrinus anatum. About forty years ago much interest was
manifested among ornithologists and others by the fact being made known
that the Duck Hawk breeds regularly among the nearly inaccessible clefts
that are to be found in the vicinity of the peaks of Mounts Tom and
Holyoke that arise from the trap rock range that crosses a portion of the
Connecticut Valley some fifteen miles north of Springfield, and from that
time to this, nests have been seen there almost every year. In 1905
nearly fledged young were found there the last of May , and this year near
the same place another nest was discovered containing four eggs. In
recent years this portion of the mountain range has been made accessible
by reason of the construction of lines of electric railroads, and hundreds
visit the region of the Duck Hawk’s breeding place where one person did
in the sixties, but notwithstanding this, they still continue to select this
locality for their summer home.— Robert O. Morris, Springfield, Mass.

Auk, XX1 11, I -3^/.

74

Dock Hawks. Fred T. Jencks, Provi-
dence, B. I., received two Duck Hawks,
killed on Point Judith.

Faloo ?i . anatur;!

"Hawk Flights in Connecticut' 1 by C.C. Trowbridge.
Auk, XI 1, July, 1895, pp. 259-270.

See under Girons hudson lus .

General Notes.

Connecticut Notes. - Le-wis H. Porter.

On Jan. 19, 1894, a farmer brought in a fine female Duck Hawk (. Falco
peregyinus anatuni). The bird was shot while eating a pigeon taken from
the barnyard.

Auk XII, Jan. 1895 p. 86

Auk, XIV,

Apr., 1897 , p

CjZ^IaZzJZ. h^uj *hnAl-

™ C f ° r P M eg t US , 3natUm - For ^ars there has been a story that a

of the W t r f e neSted everj “ vear on the cIiffs near the head waters
o the West Canada Creek, in the town of Moreliouse, Hamilton County

This town is mostly in the Northern Wilderness of the State and these
cliffs aie miles from human habitation.

In August 1895, I visited the neighborhood but failed to see either old
or young b.rds, though my guide assured me that he had often seen them

cliffs and h3d f ° Und b0neS ° f sized mammals at the foot of the

me on his way to try and collect this Fa' f f P ’ St ° P x ped over ni S h t with

he urged me to so with him T 11 a g e s nest. Notwithstanding that

** whicT is seTet. ^ ^ ^ “

from above. He stated that th* u- f ’ a et down WIth a rope

keep her off with a short ell ' ^ “ d that he had *>

dWelbut theH'atkt a" 0 " ‘ neSt ’ ° r not ’ is to be

* - 1.

ful eggs are before this with Dr Ralnh's nth !! h '' ee beautl ‘

Smithsonian at Washington. £>

/^)u\AS <rv\ £ ^ j

Duck Hawk {Falco feregrinus anatum). A specimen of this bird,
in juvenile plumage, was shot on Shelter Island on Oct. 2 and sent me
to mount. It was a female, in good condition, but had scaled down on
the bill of fare, from ducks to dragon flies — as the stomach contained the
remains of several of these insects.

W'Moa yY~\ . S h-c£(Z*. J

Auk, XVI, Jan., 1899, p. 8 S' yuM

Notes from Western New York,
Maurice C .Blake, Hanover ,N.H.

Falco peregrinus anatum . — A single bird of this species was observed
as it passed over the valley of West River, or the Inlet of Canandaigua
Lake, on June 2 , 1906 . I believe this is the second record of this bird in
Yates County.

Auk, 24, Apr., 1907, p.

IO. Falco peregrinus anatum. Duck Hawk. ‘Sparrow Eagle.’—

As my guide and myself were picking our way in a dense fog along the
Pickens Go, broken trail at the toot ofthe precipice at Table Rock on the 15th of June,
g n arolina three Duck Hawks with loud cries bore down upon us from the mist-
0 tr„ , hidden crag above. They flew about in a manner that plainly indicated
that our presence filled them with anxiety. Occasionally one would
alight for a few moments on a dead tree. Several shots were fired, but
the towering cliff' led me to miscalculate the distance, and the only effect
produced was to frighten them away. In about half an hour they re-
appeared, screaming as before. In the meantime the fog lifted and the sur-
face of the cliff became distinctly visible. The object of their solicitude
was soon apparent, for one of them, with a ground squirrel in its talons,
alighted in a cievice in the massive wall of rock. Several unsuccessful
attempts were made to obtain a specimen, which resulted finally in driv-
ing them from the scene. Four days later I visited the spot a second
time hoping to secure one with a rifle, but they had grown extremely shv,
remaining out of sight at the top of the precipice. On the 22d I rode
across the range from Mt. Pinnacle to Table Rock and, when the brink of
the cliff was reached, the three Falcons were again encountered, but the
efforts put forth to capture one were as unavailing as were those on the
former occasions. I did not find this bird elsewhere in my excursions
about the mountains. B. Carolina. Loomia, Auk.Vll. Jan. 1890, p. 37.

THE WASHINGTON POST,

Summer Birds of Buncombe County, .

N. Carolina. JohnS. Cairns. THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 20, 1902.

Falco peregrinus anatum. Duck Hawk. Seen
occasionally during the summer months. The
only one seen this year was near Asheville on
June 10 th, and it will be some time before I
forget the scrape I got into over it. I had
stopped in front of a house, and had been
watching it for nearly half an hour, when the
bird suddenly swooped down and carried off
| chicken. Out came the lady of the house in
great rage, and, as the hawk was out of sigl
by that time, she turned the full force of her
j wrath on me, and demanded if I had nothing
else to do but stand there and watch that
“Hen Hawk” carry off her chickens. I tried
i to get out of it the best way I could, and told
her that it was a rare hawk that I had been
watching, and that it was not a Chicken Hawk,
but a Duck Hawk. This only made things
! worse, for she screamed out at the top of her
J voice, “Do you call that a Duck Hawk you
fool, you f Do you call that a duck it carried
off?” That was the last time that I have
stopped at that house, and am always in a
hurry when I pass there.

/>./$. O.&O. XIV. Feb. 1880

BIRD OF PREY IN TOWER

Falcon Decimating' the Lofts
of Pigeon Fanciers.

TERROR TO SPARROWS AS WELL

City Post-office Boasts the Presence of
a Tenant Which Is Causing Trepida-
tion Among Prospective Exhibitors at
the Washington Poultry and P^et Stock
Show — New Varieties of Animals.

The annual poultry show given by the
Washington Poultry, Pigeon, and Pet
Stock Association will be held this year in
I the Masonic Temple, from the 9t.h to the
13th of December, but, unless the Post-
Office authorities take some steps to dis-
lodge an exceedingly interesting and vora-
cious tenant, which has taken up his abode
in the tower of the Post-Office Building,
more than one prize pigeon will be missing
from the show, and the owners wondering
who the thief could have been. For a
wild bird to become a citjjtthesident is a
thing almost unheard of in America. Over
in Europe, North Africa, and Asia, where
cities have been the steady growth of
centuries, many of the wild birds— for ex-
ample, the English sparrow,'* the Holland
storks, &c. — have gradually, through long
periods of time, grown accustomed to ur-
ban life, but for such a thing to occur in
America, which has remained a wilderness
s-ince the beginning of time, with The
cities little more than the growth of yes-
terday, it is unusual. Such, however, is
what has happened at the Post-office, a
large falcon having taken up his residence
in the top of the tower, from which he
sallies forth to prey upon pigeons and
sparrows all over the city.

Washington has a large number of pig-
eon fanciers, many of whom are from
time to time experimenting in the send-
ing of messages by pigeons, while others
have their birds marked by small rings of
metal or leather around one of their legs*
and those who for months past have re-
leased carrier birds that have failed to re-
port might ascertain their fate by exam-
ining the collection of rings which Mr. ,
Falcon has left lying about his den, after
devouring the pigeons he captures.

Not Altogether Unwelcome.

However, the new tenant of the Post-
office has some good as well as bad points
to his character, and while it is true that
he has made away with more than - one
prize pigeon, he has earned his welcome
to the institution above mentioned by the
war he wages on the sparrows and pig-
eons that formerly cluttered the roof with
their nests and trash. In fact, he has be-
come quite a thorn in the flesh of the
sparrows of this city, and by reason of r
his presence Washington is able' to boast
of having at least one building which the
pestiferous English sparrow respects and
shuns.

0

Nesting of Peregrine Falcon.

•m.

April 10, visited the east side of Mt.
Katahdin ; noticed, while pitching camp, a
pair of Duck Hawks flying Around, evi-
dently anjioyed at our presence. Thinking
they had a nest in the vicinity, we deter-
mined to spend a while in searching for it.

April 14, found the nest of the Duck
Hawks on an easily accessible ledge on a
bluff on the east side of the Mt., partly
screened by a few low cedars.

# // *

O.&Q. IX. Jan. 1881. P- /*

BY FRANK As BATES.

Two line sets of eggs of the American Pere-
grine Falcon, ( Falco peregrinus nceoius ) were
found during the past season on Mount Torn,
Mass., by Mr. Geo. H. Avery.

The first set was found April loth, 1888, and
the clutch contained four eggs, seven-tenths in-
cubated. The nest was on a shelving rock, and
consisted of a little dirt, grass and pine needles,
but there were no sticks. The female was on
the nest.

Nol: Ground color, creamy white, lightly
blotched on large end with light reddish brown,
gradually increasing in density toward small
end, where the ground color is entirely and
Nesting of the Dock Hawk ( Falco communis ) in Vermont.— soured. This egg at the large end
On June 30 1879 my friend, Mr. Frank Winslow, procured a fine female liderable resemblance to some of the
example of this species, on what is called “ Buzzard Hill ” in the south cimens of the Sparrow Hawk. Size

part of Brandon. The locality is rough and rocky, and a pair have bred • ..... ,, , .

" . T . , , , ht j... „ r,ov.'nrl nf more Lightly blotched on small end, m-

in this vicinity, so I am informed by Mr. Winslow, tor a period ot more . .

J rr,, , , .. , n density toward the large end, exactly

than twenty vears. They were very destructive to the poultry in the vi- ■> , B ,

man iwuiuj j j 7 , ifNo.l. General color slightly dark-

cinity, and many unsuccessful attempts were made to shoot them, until ^ ^

Mr. Winslow, remaining concealed near the nest for an entire day, shot to Ko . ^ but gene ral color

both male and female as they returned about dusk. At the same time he ^ 2 . 2.14 x 1.74.

destroyed the nest, which then contained one egg. If. II. Ivnowlton, j g g0 deeply colored that the ground
Brandon, IT-Bull. N.O.O. 5, Jan,, 1880, p, ^ /

Puck Hawk’s Nest.— S. W. Comstock, Greenfield, Maes..

c

SP

o

H

"t-t

0

CO

CO

§

-Last

sends us a graphic description of two visits by members of
the Greenfield Natural History Society to Mt. Sugarloaf,
when they were fortunate enough to secure two sets of
Eggs of the Duck Hawk. He says :

“This site has been used many years by the Hawks, two
nests of young having been taken, and one of two eggs
besides those of ours, and ail hut one have been taken from
the same shelf. This shelf was a slightly curved rock,
slanting downwards, with but a few feathers and nothing
else.

The eggs, two in number, were of a reddish brown color
with finely spattered spots of darker shades of the same.

The only places in Massachusetts to my knowledge, where
these hawks breed, are Mt. Tom, Mt. Holyoke, and Mt.

Sugarloaf. In Connecticut, only Talcott Mountain.”

Duck Hawks breeding in the Helderberg Mountains. New York.

summer I observed a pair of Duck Hawks {Falco peregrinus ncevius)
several times in the neighborhood of a high cliff in the Helderberg Moun-
tains, about thirty miles from Albany. Thinking it probable from their
actions that they had bred there, I visited the locality last April and found
that they had been there some time already. Diligent search was at once
commenced for the nest; during which the old birds were frequently seen,
and evinced the highest degree of excitability. On the nth of April
the eyrie was discovered ; the eggs, four in number, were placed upon
the bare suriace of a ledge in an extremely wild situation ; there was no
appearance of a nest, but the eggs were surrounded merely by a few bones
and feathers. The birds showed the greatest anger, flying, shrieking, in
circles overhead. They were not shot and probably bred elsewhere upon
the mountain later on, although their second nest was not discovered.
— G. A. Lintner , Albany, N. V. AU k, I, Oct. , 1884. p. /.

New Eng. Raptores. Number Eggs In
a set. F.H. Carpenter.

.tirely obscured, slightly paler at the

small end; 2.12x1.67.

Nos. 1 aud 3 at the dark ends bear lighter
blotches, as if touched before the color was
dry.

The color of this set is very peculiar, being a
very dull, raw sienna color.

The second set were found on May 13, 1888,
about twenty rods south of the former nest,
and contained three eggs, six-tenths incubated.
The nest was on a narrow shelving rock, simi-
lar to the first nest. No sticks were found.

In this case also the female was on the nest.
No. 1 : Evenly blotched all over with reddish
brown, overlaid with finer markings of darker,
almost chocolate brown. This egg is generally
darker than any in the preceding set, still the
ground shows through; size 2.07 xl.62.

No. 2: Generally darker than No. 1, ground
color not showing through at the larger end
and the darker markings more intense; 2.21 x
1.65.

No. 3 : Has general appearance of No. 1, but
darkest of all ; 2.21x1.64. This egg very close-
ly resembles the figure (PI. 16, fig. 2), in
Capen's Oology of N. E.

Nos. 2 and 3 bear each a dark blotch which
looks as if the color which was rubbed off of
Nos. 1 and 2 of Set I, was daubed on these.

Both of these sets are now in the cabinet of
Mr. Wyia^reg|^ ;0ct> 1888 p>15a . 7

Duck Hawk, ( Falco peregrinus noevius ) .

2 sets of 2
2 “ “4

O.&o. XII. Oct. 1887 P.167

J. I arker Norris has added to his cabinet
a fine set of four eggs of the Duck Hawk,
taken on Mount Tom, Mass., on May 6 ,
1893 , by H. W. Smith. They are beautiful
specimen*. _ „ .

Q.& Q-VoLia. June. 1803 n.01

A Philadelphia Collection of Eg g s of
the Raptores.

Falco peregrinus noevius. American Peregrine I
Falcon. Two sets of three. Total; two sets,
six eggs.

O & O. XIV. Mar. 1889 p.4D
'Collection of Rapfores Eggs. J, P, N.

Duck Hawk, - - ‘

O.&O. XV. Apr. 1290. p. 5Q

BREEDING OE THE DUCK HAWK IN TREES.

BY N. S. Goss.

As the Falco communis var. anatum is supposed to nest almost
exclusively on high rocky cliffs, and rarely if ever in other situa-
tions, I think it will be of interest for me to say that I found
in February, 1875, a pair nesting about three miles southeast of
Neosho Falls, Kansas, in the timber on the banks of the Neosho
River. The nest was in a large sycamore, about fifty feet from the
ground, in a trough-like cavity formed by the breaking off of a hol-
low limb near the body of the tree. I watched the pair closely,
with the view of securing both the birds and their eggs. March 27
I became satisfied that the birds were sitting, and I shot the female,
but was unable to get near enough to shoot the male. The next
morning I hired a young man to climb the tree, who found three
fresh eggs, laid on the fine soft rotten wood in a hollow worked out
of the same to fit the body. There was no other material or lining,
except a few feathers and down mixed with the decayed wood.

The ground-color of the eggs is grayish-ochre, spotted and
blotched with dark reddish-brown, the blotches running together
towards the large end, where they are' a shade darker. Length,
respectively, 2.20, 2.30, and 2.40; diameter of each, 1.70 inches.

March 17, 1876, I found a pair nesting on the opposite side of
the river from the above-described nest, in a cottonwood, at least
sixty feet from the ground, the birds entering a knot-hole in the
tree, apparently not over five or six inches in diameter. The tree
was very straight, and without limbs to the nest, and consequently
out of reach. The birds were very noisy, but shy. I wounded
both the birds, but failed to get them.

February 2, 1877, I noticed a pair flying into the same tree.
April 9, I shot them both. I now have the three birds in my col-
lection. The measurements, as taken from the birds when shot,
are as follows : —

Sex.

Length. Stretch of Wing. Wing.

Tail.

Tarsus.

Bill.

March 27, 1875. .

■ • ?

20.00

46.00

. 15.00

7.60

1.85

.95

April 9, 1877

■ • ?

19.75

45.50

14.75

7.50

1.85

.95

April 9, 1877

• <?

18.00

41.00

13.50

6.50

1.80

.90

Cere, .31.

For a description of the species see “ North American Birds,” by
Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway (Yol. III. p. 128). I will add : Iris,
brown ; bill, horn-blue, with the base pale green ; cere and eyelids,
greenish-yellow ; legs and feet, lemon-yellow ; claws, black.

April 30, 1877, I found a pair about four miles farther up the
river, breeding in a hollow broken limb of a giant sycamore. From
the actions of the birds, I think they had young. I feel confident
they will nest there next season, and, if so, shall try very hard to
procure the eggs.

The birds are very noisy while mating, but silent during incuba-
tion. The males, so far as noticed, sit upon the eggs in the fore part
of the day, the females during the latter part of the day, each, while
off duty, occasionally feeding the other, but putting in a good share
of the time as sentinels, perched upon a favorite dead limb near the
nest, ready to give the alarm in case of approaching danger. At
such times they scold rapidly, and manifest great anxiety and fear,
circling overhead, occasionally alighting, and taking good care to
keep out of reach. The fear of man is not without cause, for our
hunters never lose an opportunity to shoot at them, knowing how
destructive they are to the water-fowls found in the sloughs along
the river-bottoms.

Neosho Falls, Kansas. Bull. N. O.O* 3, Jan. , 18 /8, p, ' 3^i ,

Nesting of the Duck Hawk on
Sugar Loaf, Mass.

Mt.

Among some of the sets of eggs taken in
Massachusetts that can be called rare or
valuable to the ornithologist are those of
the Duck Hawk ( Falco pcregrinus ana
tum} . There are probably only six places
in all New England where this bird can be
found breeding, namely, Talcott Mountain,
Conn., Mount Holyoke, Mount Tom, and
Sugar Loaf Mountain, Mass., Brandon, Vt.
and Mount Katahdin, Maine. In the three
localities in Massachusetts there is but one
pair of the Hawks at a place the same season,

: and as the bird always chooses an almost in-
; accessible site in some lofty cliff for its eyrie,

occupy a cliff the same season, and they
usually choose an almost inaccessible cliff.

On the 8th of April, 1892, I went to
Sugar Loaf Mountain and there saw the
male and female Duck Hawks. They would
fly from one part of the mountain to the
other, and always, as they launched out in
the air high above the tops of the trees some
two hundred and fifty feet below them, they
would utter their peculiar screams. When-
ever I would keep out of sight for any length
of time and then reappear at the edge of
the cliff, one of the birds would always be
at rest on some rough crag of the rocks, or
on a dead stump that projected from the
ledge far below.

I found that they returned near the same
place every time, and so came to the con-

it is very seldom that the eggs are found by

1 collectors. During the past summer I had I elusion that the nesting place must be some-

th e pleasure of finding the eyrie of one of w h ere in that vicinity ; but after long and
these Duck Hawks on the side of Sugar

careful observations I was obliged to come
away without finding the exact spot, for it
was necessary that one should have a long
stout rope, by the assistance of which he
might climb down the side of the cliff, in
order to find the nest.

I learned, however, that only one pair of
the birds was about the place, and that one
pair had occupied the mountain as a nest-
ing place for many years. One week later
j so far as I know at present, only one pair 1 ^ again visited this place in company with

Loaf Mountain and I have written the ac-
count of the same for the benefit of the
readers of the “O. & O.”

The Duck Hawks arrive from the south
about the last week in March. They come
in pairs, and the first to arrive at once
choose a nesting place ; then they guard
the whole side of the mountain for several
j weeks before the eggs are deposited, and,

feathers and a little grass in it. This shelf
was about two feet six inches wide and then
ran back in the side of the ledge three feet.
The roof of this eyrie was only eleven inches
from the surface of the shelf ; thus the eggs
were entirely out of sight until you reached
the shelf. This shelf was about ten feet
long, and from it were growing some grasses
and ferns. As I have stated, the nest con-
tained four eggs, which proved to be quite
fresh. Three of these eggs were of a dark
brick-red color and the other one was white
for the ground color.

The first egg was the darkest, having a
brick-red ground color and being thickly
spotted and blotched with red and dark
brown ; near the large end was quite an
area, evenly marked with light brown spots.

the eggs in

1.69 x 2.04,

1.70 x 2.13

large end are several light brown spots and
on the sides are a few large light brown
blotches.

I will give the dimensions of
the order they are described :

1.72 x 2. 11, 1. 71 x 2.15, and
inches.

To reach this eyrie with the help of a rope
I had climbed about sixty feet down the al-
most perpendicular side of the cliff, and as
I sat there on that lofty shelf of red sandstone
and beheld the beautiful expanse of the
Connecticut valley, with the silvery river
majestically winding its course through it,
I thought for a moment of the results of one
misstep which would precipitate the un-
fortunate being nearly two hundred and fifty
feet below. This thought, together with

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Wiles of the Peregrine Falcon.

BY W. C. AVEKY, M. D., 'GREENSBORO, AL.

While' shooting one day, as I entered a large
field, my attention was attracted to a flock of
Killdeer, flying high over head. They were as
noisy as usual and flew in different directions,
as if they had been disturbed and scattered.

Far below the Killdeers, came rapidly tow-
ards me a Peregrine Falcon, one eye glancing
up at a killdeer many feet above him. His
long pointed wings beat the air with short,
quick strokes, as they bore him with increas-
ing speed till he reached a point just below his
unwary victim, when, as an arrow from a bow,
he shot upwards, passing not a foot ahead of
| the incoming killdeer. The bird literally flew
into the outstretched talons that seized and
j bore it several hundred yards to the top of a
I tall red oak tree.

Not many minutes had elapsed before I was
standing under the tree. A well directed charge
of No. 8 shot was launched at the hawk; the
killdeer fell from his grasp ; he fell to the
under side of the limb on which he was perch-
ed, quivered a few seconds, released his hold,
and followed his dead quarry to the ground.

On another occasion, I was shooting ducks in
a slough in the Warrion bottom, when I heard
an unusual noise, so loud and so continued was
it that I took it to be the scream of some large
bird in distress — a Pileated Woodpecker per-
haps. I hastened towards the place whence
the cries proceeded. As I waded into the
water, I saw a Peregrine Falcon hovering
above the timber, as a Fish Hawk balauces
himself before he descends. I started a black
duck from under a log not ten feet from me;
as I proceeded other ducks left their hiding
places and sought safety in flight. They were
aware of the danger over head in the shape of
the Falcon, and all the frightful screams of the
■cunning hawk had not caused them to leave
the water. My presence in their very midst
had alarmed them and so soon as they were on
the wing the Falcon darted like lightning after '
them, and they disappeared through the tim- |
ber with their pursuer close behind them.

The capture of the Killdeer by the Falcon, in :
the manner above described, was certainly as- !
tonishing. It was evidently a ruse, as the bird
did not see its enemy, till like an apparition, he
shot up just ahead and the two taloued feet ,
were extended to receive it.

The Falcon resorts, also, to cunning when he
seeks to frighten the ducks from the water by
screams louder than I had supposed it possible
for such a bird to make.

Sometimes the shooter is surprised by the
presence of the Peregrine Falcon as he falls, as
it were, from the very clouds.

Once, upon the coast of North Carolina, near
Nay’s Head, I had shot several Willets and was
reloading my muzzle, when a Peregrine Falcon
stooped at a winged Willet that stood in the
water not twenty yards from me. The wound-

ed bird escaped by squatting suddenly. The
upward flight of the Falcon seemed to me not
less rapid than had been his descent. I had
one barrel loaded, the contents of which I sent
after him without apparent effect, as he to were?!
in a few seconds beyond the reach of danger.

One among other occasions, when this ma-
rauder has suddenly appeared on the scene. I
shall never forget. I had one day scattered a
covey of partridges (Colbnus virginianus) in an
open field, and had hunted the single birds for
some time with varied success; now killing,
now missing a bird. Finally my dog pointed
in a sedge field, at least a half a mile from the
nearest woods. 1 flushed the bird and missed
it; almost simultaneously with the shot, a
Peregrine Falcon stooped from the sky ; com-
ing downward and directly behind the whir-
ring partridge, he passed by me swift as the
leaden shower I had just sent in vain after poor
Bob White; overtaking but missing his quarry
before it had flown two hundred yards, it
seemed to me that the Falcon must have flown
with at least four times the speed of the part-
ridge, and that he flew at least a half a mile
while the latter was going two hundred yards.

That bird was bagged that day by neither
shooter nor hawk. I marked it down ; but l
had not the heart to flush and shoot at it
again when it had escaped the leaden missiles
hurled after it, and the sharp talons of the hun-
gry Falcon that followed in their wake. .

O.&O. XII. M*y. 1887 P

CL "iwio IrZ*-' ~cb

'"1

0 ?.+

I 44 ORNITHOLOGIST

l Editor “ O & O ” : I will open the year of | —

1893 Wednesday by starting on a snow-shoe
trip of 100 miles, after Owls’ eggs, followed
by one, as soon as migration begins, to the
famous Devil Lake County.

Last year I collected 640 eggs, 7 1 varie
ties ; this year will swell the list a little, con
sequently the snow-shoe trip.

Hope to add a Bald Eagle to my Rap-
tores as I have heard of one out 70 miles
in a little patch of timber on the prairies.

Prairies ! A multitude of thoughts that one
word contains ; dreary in winter, inviting in
spring, beautiful in summer and glorious in
autumn. What medicine for the sick and
hard-worked clerk or business man of the
cities would be a few weeks of life here.

A good team of horses and dogs, guns and
a place to sleep, then let business take care
of itself.

Few can realize how much benefit such a
trip is unless it has been their lot to receive
such benefit.

To be born in New York State and raised in
North Dakota is not the luck of many men.

For 14 years this has been my home. Saw
the Elk in plenty when too small to hunt,

Deer and Antelope. It is a fine place for
the hunter or naturalist.

Will give another note in the spring, after
the season is passed, telling how successful
it was - Alf. Eastgate.

Grand Forks, N.D.

[Vol. 18-No. 10

parently had to fly three times as far as its
quarry before it reached the latter.

On another occasion two Duck Hawks,
were seen pursuing a flock of tame Pigeons.

These were far above their pursuers, and
while in that position were safe. But the
Falcons began to “ring,” or ascend in cir-
cles till the smaller bird, the male, got his
“pitch” first, then, with astonishing swift-
ness, he overtook the Pigeons, whose rapid-
ity of flight is very great. When the Falcon
began his swoop, at about an angle of twenty
degrees with the flight of the Pigeons, these,
though going very fast, seemed in compar-
ison with the progress of their pursuer
scarcely to move, as he shot like an arrow
through the flock. Other instances of the
swiftness of flight by Falcons might be given
but these seem to show that no bird flies as
fast as the Falcon. C . A.very .

Greensboro, Ala. 0 .& O. Vol.18.Oct.1893 p. 143-4

“ What is authentically known of the ra-
pidity of flight by different species of birds,
and which is considered the swiftest?”

To Mr. Smith’s question, I believe it may
be answered that the Falcons are the swift-
est, and as far as my experience goes it
seems to me that the Duck Hawk is swifter
than any other species.

It easily overtakes any bird within the
range of its vision, and does so with incred-
ible velocity.

A Bobwhite, once fired at by me, was
overtaken by a Duck Hawk in the distance
of two hundred yards, though the Hawk ap-

1179. The Sport of Ha-wkbig. By R. W. Seiss. I, II. The Pere-
t . ; l . grine Falcon. Ibid., No. 13, Oct. 21, p. 243; No. 14, Oct. 28, p.263;

III. The Gyrfalcon. No. 15, Nov. 4, pp. 282, 383; IV. The La, Her Fal-
con. No. 16. Nov. 11, pp. 202, 203 ; V. The American Merlin and Kestril. g)

No. 21, Dec. 16, pp. 403, 404.— On the rearing, training and management (LJrvW '^
of Falcons for use in hawking, with illustrations. & Stream, Yol. 2 QEVIX

812. Ornithological Field Notes , -with one Addition to the Cincinnati
Avian Fauna. By William Hubbell Fisher. Journ. Citicinnati Soc.
Nat. Hist., VII, No. 1, April, 1884, pp. 10-13. — The species added is
Falco peregrinus ncevius, and there are notes on Astur atricafittus,
Loxia curvirostra americana , Lanins borealis , and Bubo virginianus.

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The Pigeon-Hawk ( Falco columbarius) at Sea. — While returning from
a trip to Labrador, last summer, I observed small Hawks, undoubtedly of
this species, at a considerable distance from land, on two occasions.

The first occasion was on the 5th of September. We were crossing the
Gulf of St. Lawrence, and were in sight of the coast of Newfoundland,
which was about twelve or fifteen miles distant. As many as four Hawks
were seen, which came so near that we were able to recognize them as
Pigeon-Hawks. They seemed to be perfectly at home, flying over the
water, and showed no fear of the vessel, several times alighting on the
rigging.

The first that appeared had a Leach’s Petrel, dead, in his talons. He
alighted with this, on the fore-crosstrees, and proceeded to eat it. The
sailors were unwilling that we should fire into the rigging, so a young
man went up the fore-rigging, and nearly caught the Hawk, which flew
off, leaving his prey behind him. Three other Hawks came off to the ves-
sel during the day, and were all shot, but all, unfortunately, fell into the
water and could not be secured. The day was bright, clear, and warm,
with a light wind from the north, so that we made very little progress.
The Hawks appeared to come from the direction of Newfoundland.

The second occasion was during our run from Cape Sable to Boston,
about fifty miles from the nearest land. It was the 10th of September, a
bright day, with a- strong northwest wind. A small Hawk, probably a
Pigeon-Hawk, passed the vessel, flying to windward. Dr. Coues, in his
“ Notes on the Ornithology of Labrador,” mentions that a Hawk of this
species came on board their vessel during their return voyage, in a very
exhausted condition. This bird, however, was very shy, and was imme-
diately frightened away from the vessel. He also mentions seeing sev-
eral Sparrow-Hawks while in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, off Cape Breton
Island, which “ circled quite closely around the vessel, showing but little

Birds within Ten Miles of Point '
d© Monts, O&n, 0om©8/ii &M©rriam

69. Falco columbarius. Pigeon Hawk. — Not rare, and doubtless

breeds.

BuaN.O.O* ‘7, Oct, X 882 , p«2S7

-

9 It did not stay with us long; but on the fol-

lowing day, Sept. 24, several other birds appeared, viz., three Hawks, a
Pied Wagtail (Motacilla yarrelli ) , and two Saxicolce (probably Saxicola
^ c vnanthe , the Wheatear)£p We were now nearly a thousand miles from

q the Irish coast, and the Hawks and other small bifds continued to follow

j the vessel, one of the former catching a Stormy Petrel, which it proceeded

1 to devour on the rigging of the ship. That evening two of the Hawks

J were captured by a sailor, and one of them survived the voyage. On the

£ day after their capture I saw them, and believe they belonged to the •

i American species of Pigeon Hawk (F alco c olumbariu s ') . y

Birds observe&by

(Vest- !0 Pigeon Hawk,

12

-A.il Ornithologist’ s Summer in Labrador

M. Abbot tFrazar,

Falco eolumbarius , Pigeon Hawk. Seen at
Esquimaux Point on May 18th. None seen un-
til my return in September, when a pair ac-
companied by their young were haunting
around the woods a short distance from the
house.

O.&O. XII. Mar. 1887. p. 33.

Birds of Magdalsn islands.

Dt. L.B. Bishop.

26. Falco eolumbarius. Pigeon Hawk. — Tolerably common summer
resident. Three noted. One seen on Entry July 8, a male taken on
Grindstone July 15, and another seen near the same place July 17. The
Grindstone birds were probably a pair breeding.

Auk, VI. April, 1889. p. 147

ot

Falco eolumbarius. Pigeon Hawk. — A bird that I took to be this
species was seen one day. Prof. Earle showed me a stuffed specimen.

Auk X, Jan, 1893. v.0-2

22. Falco eolumbarius. Pigeon Hawk. — Small Hawks were seen
commonly. Some were undoubtedly of this species. Others may have
been Falco sparverius.

Louis H. Porter, New York City.
Auk, XVII, Jan. , 1900, p. %>.

134. Falco eolumbarius. Pigeon Hawk. — Regular fall migrant,
September 1 to December 6; not very common; mature birds are ex-
ceedingly rare. Given as a winter resident in 1853. 2

2 Canadian Journal, I, 1852-3, 169.

sJmfcagog. Main®.

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Birds of Dead River Region, Me-. F. H. 0,

88. JEsalon columbarius, (Pigeon Hawk). A
specimen of this bird was taken at Kingfield in
September. I am of the opinion they breed on
Mt. Abraham and hope to substantiate the suppo-
sition by investigations in the proper season.

O.&o. XI. Dec. 1886. p. 177

Fail Birds of Northern Mala©-
F. H. Carpenter.

Pigeon Hawk ( Falco columbarius). A single
specimen seen, in pursuit of a Rusty Grackle.

0.&0. XII.Nov. 1837 p.188

Recent Winter Occurrences of Two Hawks in Maine. — Evidence
accumulates to the effect that the Pigeon Hawk ( Falco columbarius colum-
barius) is to be found in Maine in winter more often than has generally
been supposed. 1 I saw it twice during the season of 1910-1911 at Portland.
On January 24, 1911, at 11 a. m., one flew across Temple Street, in the
heart of the business section of the city, distant about a hundred yards
from the window at which I was standing, rose gradually and disappeared
towards the west. On February 7, at 3.30 p. m., during a snowstorm,
one flew down Middle Street, passing the same window within about
thirty feet and clearly indicating the plumage of immaturity.

The chances are that the Sharp-shinned Hawk ( Accipiter velox ) is also
a more frequent visitor in Maine in winter than it has been thought, for
there has not been a great deal of systematic observation here at that season.

1 believe that only three trustworthy records of its appearance have yet
been made, 2 though it is stated in the Journal of the Maine Ornithological
Society, Vol. XI, pages 15 and 16, by Miss Nellie F. Dunton, that she saw
a Hawk, “ probably a Sharp-shinned,” in winter at Winnegance. I
happened upon a fourth instance, February 11, 1911, when I saw one of
these Hawks near the western end of Danforth Street, Portland, about

2 p. m. It perched for a few moments in a tree overlooking the harbor,
then flew away in the direction of Cape Elizabeth. — Nathan Clifford
Brown, Portland, Maine.

1 Norton, Auk, XXVII, p. 207; Brown, 1. c.

2 Smith, Forest and Stream, XX, pp. 24-25; Brownson, Joum. Me. Om. Soc.,
VII, p. 21; Norton, ibid., IX, p. 9.

A ok 2«S.A]»r»19H P*

Another Pigeon Hawk in Maine in Winter. — I saw about noon, February
26, 1910, a Pigeon Hawk ( Falco columbarius ) flying in a southerly direction
over Temple Street, Portland, not far above the tops of the buildings.
At the same time I noted a large flock of English Sparrows high in the air.
No doubt they had aided in attracting the hawk to this busy part of the
city. — Nathan Clifford Brown, Portland, Maine.

Auk 27. apt- 1910 p. %oy,

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S'-maer Birds of Presidential Rane-e
W lute MtB. A, P, Chac bourne ’

6. Falco columbarius. Pigeon Hawk. — One was seen a little below
our camp in the Great Gulf on July 8, 1886.

AOki 4, A»ril 1887. p.103

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Raptores, Bristol County, Mass.

P Hilton B . Bead .

Pigeon Hawk, (JEk<rfo» columbarius) . A rare
visitor, most frequently observed in autmnm
No record of its breeding, though it may have
done so in former years, as has been proved m
other localities.

O.& O. XII. Aug. 1887 p.118

77

Birds of Bristol County , Mass,
F.W. Andros.

Falco columbarius Linn., Pigeon Hawk.
Migrant, rare.

O &O. XIT.Sept! 1887 p.T30

| while on a collecting trip in the vicinity of Boverly
i0 r -aimt a tine ± specimen of the l lgeon
II MaBS.,Apn ^ a rare bir a to this locality, please.

-S, it. Frank A. Brown. [We do not consider it
j rare. — Ed.]

O.&O. XV.May. 1890 P 77

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If

Hawl; Flights in Connecticut"
Auk, XI 1 , July, 1095 ,
See ’under Circus h

fey

i*p .

idso:

m

C .C .Trowbridge .
259 - 270 .
nius .

Birds observed in Naval Hospital
Grounds * Bro okly n , G-.H, Ooue a

1. FalGo columbarius. Pigeon Hawk. — Very common.

Bull N. 0.0. 4, Jan. , 1870, p. 31

12 1. iEsalon columbarius (Linn.) Kauf. Pigeon Hawk.— R athei
rare, but doubtless breeds.

Bull N. O.O, 0,Oct, 1881, p, 232

B irds T ioga Op , N,Y, A ides Loring-.,

417 . Pigeon Hawk. Not rare. Breeds.

Lives on small birds, snakes and field mice.

Q “ *0e” xv, mho,

__.,P n 8 W a Ocunty, Ne-W Ynrv

William L, Radoh & Egbert r£'.

Falco columbarius.— A

flalpli & Egbert Bag;?

specimen was taken at Sylvan Beach, Sept. 12,

1889, by Messrs. Shepard and James R. Benton.

Attk, TII. July, 18 GO. p, 3 3/-

o. - — .

/^t. Pyhcc^r^H^oc-^J ■*■—'-'

*3 * < ^~ eMAj ^* j ** j€A ~ ' ni*n j^-^ju^ia

5. Falco colnmbarius. Pigeon Hawk. — A set of four eggs from
Amherst Island was taken under the following circumstances : Mr. Frazar
was passing a spruce-clad knoll surrounded by a boggy swamp, when he
noticed a pair of Pigeon Hawks circling above the trees. Approaching,
he quickly discovered their nest, 'built in a dense spruce at the intersec-
tion of a horizontal branch with the main stem and ai a height of about
ten feet. As he climbed the tree the Hawks, now thoroughly alarmed for
the safety of their charge, dashed wildly about his head, frequently passing
within a few feet and uttering shrill screams of anger or dismay. After
taking the eggs he made a close examination of the nest, which was found
to be very bulky — in fact "as large as a Crow’s,” and composed chiefly of
bark with some coarse sticks surrounding the exterior, and a neat, soft
lining of finer bark and horse-hair. From its general appearance he felt
convinced that it was constructed by the Hawks themselves. This was
June 9; returning five days later he found both birds flying about the
knoll and their actions indicated that they had built another nest some-
where near, but it could pot b,e found. As he was then on the point of
leaving the island he shot the male, a fine adult specimen which accom-
panies the eggs.

The latter, now before me, are almost perfectly elliptical in shape, and
measure respectively 1.57 X 1.27, 1.55 X 1.23, 1.59 X 1.24, and 1.56 X 1.25.

The ground-color, in three of them, is apparently pinkish-buff, but this is
almost wholly overlaid by numerous, nearly confluent blotches of dilute
chocolate and purplish-brown which, with a few black spots and dashes,
are uniformly spread over the entire surface of the shell. The fourth
specimen has some immaculate spaces of creamy-buff about the smaller
end, although the markings elsewhere are even denser than in the other
three. The general coloring of these eggs is extremely rich and hand-
some and, excepting in size, they bear a close resemblance to the noto-
riously beautiful egg of the Duck Hawk. — William Brewster, Cam-
bridge, Mass. Ball. N, O.O. 7 . Oct, 1882 , p « % $~6~- £ t>~b

733. Pigeonj Hawks. By Charles D. Gibson. Ibid., p. So. Affirmin
the correctness of his previous note (see above, No. 745 )’ on the breedin
of this spe/ies in Delaware, where, he adds, “the Pigeon Hawk is

resident.’ O. & o-voi.vtn t __

1997. Was it Instinct ? By ‘ Aisalon columbarins . ’ Ibid., p. 108. —
Corvus americanus hunting for food. 1300 Sl©t Ol< 1 , A* • '•

745. Pigeon Hawk. Sparrow Hawk. [f>y Charles D. Gibson. Ibid.,
p. 72. — Both (!) species found breeding at Brandywine Springs, Del. O'. & O*

be bo

Nesting of the Pigeon Hawk.

BY H. R. TAYLOR.

As the eggs of the Pigeon Hawk ( Falco j
columbarius ) are very seldom found I wish to

record the taking of a splendid set on April 6th, i
1888.

I first saw the nest late in May, one year ago,
when it contained three young birds ready to
fly. It was on a steep mountain-side on the !
large stock ranch of my friend J. P. Sargent,
in Santa Clara Co. Cal., on a ledge of a pre-
cipitous bluff about thirty-five feet high.

While near the nest last year the old bird!
was astonishingly fearless and would swoop
down close to my head, uttering ear-piercing
cries. These angry demonstrations, while they
made me somewhat apprehensive of damaged
eyes, afforded an excellent opportunity for
jotting down a description of the falcon.

When I visited the nest this season the bird
flew off as I came up, and winged its peculiar
flight across the canyon, when it settled quiet-
ly on the hill-side.

My friend R. C. Sargent adjusted the end of a
rawhide lariat to my body and as soon as the
rope had been passed round a small shrub,
which grew above, I swung over the edge, and
was slowly lowered toward the nest.

As the nest was rather in from the face of
the cliff I found it difficult to get a foot-hold,
but when I did at last, I saw that it was com-
posed simply of pieces of friable rock, and in it
to my delighted surprise were five eggs. I soon
had them stowed away aud was speedily and
safely lowered to the bottom.

Audubon, it will be remembered, found
several nests of this bird in Labrador, each
with five eggs. The nests were on the top
branches of low fir trees and only from ten to
twelve feet from the ground.

The eggs of this set proved to have large
embryos, but with patience I succeeded in
blowing them. They are heavily marked with
a light brown, so heavily that in one or two the
ground color is entirely obscured.

O &0. XIII. Dec. 1888 p.185

A PhiladelphiaCollection of Eggs of

the Raptores.

JEsalon columbarius. Pigeon Hawk. Two
sets of four. Total: two sets, eight eggs.

O.&O. XIV. Mar. 1889 p.45

Collection of Raptores Eggs. J.P.'N.

Pigeon Hawk,

O.&O. XV. Apr. 1890. p. 5S

72

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 8-No. 9

Pigeon Hawk. Sparrow Hawk.

I spent the Spring of 1882 at Brandy-
wine Springs, New Castle Co., Del., and a
great deal of my time was spent in collect-
ing. In one corner of the grounds, about
two hundred yards from the house, was an
old, deserted building, called the “ Old
Lodge,” and during the months of Febru-
ary and March I had observed a pair- of
Pigeon Hawks spending a great deal of
time in its vicinity. Thinking they must
have a nest somewhere near, I made dili-
gent search for it, but my endeavors were
fruitless until March 2. When I was en-
tering the lodge that morning, I was sur-
prised and perhaps startled by the female
Hawk flying out from under the roof of
the porch, almost in my face. This g-ave
me a fresh start, and after a short search I
found the nest, containing four fresh eggs,
in a crevice on the lower part of the porch
roof. The nest was placed in the hollow
between two beams of the roof ; was cov-
ered by the roof and had for a foundation
a beam running the length of the roof.
The interior measured 12x5 inches and
was 6 inches high. The entrance measured
12x4 inches. Tire bottom of the nest was
a few small twigs, covered by a layer an
inch thick of the inner bark of the swamp
maple, and very slightly hollowed. The
eggs somewhat resembled those of the
Sparrow Hawk, but were one-eighth of an
inch longer and one-sixteenth wider, per-
fectly elliptical, and marked unevenly with
five dots of light reddish brown, tending
to congregate in spots. One — the fresh-
est — had a large blotch of the same color
on one side, covering nearly one-fourth of
the whole surface. Further examination
showed that they had built there for at
least three years before, as that number of
similar nests were found in other crevices
near the first. It seemed strange that so
shy a Hawk should choose such a nesting
place, but as the grounds had not been
used for at least five years, until the pre-
vious Fall, that may account for it ; though

the “ Old Lodge ” stood not more than
twenty-five feet from a much traveled road.

The same Spring (1882) I found two
Sparrow Hawk’s nests about two miles
north of the Springs. They were both
built in the same tree — a large hollow
sycamore — and the two families seemed to
live very peacefully. One was in a hole in
a branch about fifty feet from the ground
and contained three eggs laid on the bare
wood, as were all the eggs of this species
that I ever found. The second nest was
rather curious. When climbing after the
first, I noticed a second pair of birds go-
ing in and out of a large hole near the
root of the tree, and after securing the first
set, reversed my climbers and with a good
deal of hard laborascended to the firstlarge
branch, about twenty-five feet up, where the
female flew out and dropped down past
me. I found another set of eggs in the
hollow of this branch, about three feet
back from the trunk. There were several
small knot-holes in the branch near the
nest, but none of them would admit any-
thing larger than a Sparrow, so that the
Hawks were compelled to ascend inside
the tree to reach their nest. How they
found and why they chose such a situation
I leave for others to conjecture — Charles
D. Gibson, fienovo, l^a.O. & O. VT11. Sept. 1883. p, U

S3

The European Kestrel in Massachusetts. — A female example of the
European Kestrel ( Falco tinnunculus Linn.) was shot at Strawberry Hill,
near Nantucket, Mass, on Sept. 29, 1887. The bird was killed by a man
who was hunting for Plover at the time, and was sold with other birds to
Mr. C. I. Goodale, 93 Sudbury St., Boston, where I had the pleasure of
examining the specimen in the flesh shortly after it was killed. This is, I
believe, the first record of its occurrence in North America. The skin is
now in my cabinet. — Charles B. Cory, Boston , Mass.

Auk, V. Jan. 1888. p. HO.

The European Kestril in Massachusetts— A Correction.— In ‘The Auk’
for January last (Vol. V, p. no), the locality of capture for the specimen
of this species there recorded should read Strawberry Hill, Nantasket
Beach, Mass., instead of “Nantucket,” Mass— Charles B. Cory Boston
Mass - Auk, V. April 1888. p. fo 5'

Notes on Certain Birds observed on a Voyage from Liverpool to
Quebee in September, 1883.-^ About the middle of September, 1883, I

, left En ° land for Canada ’ a ” d “hen far out on the ocean, was agreeably

surprised to notice several well-known species of birds flying around and CUJ/
alighting on the rigging of the vessel. It may interest the readers of
I he Auk to hear something of these migrants ; as although it probably ' VT

often happens that birds are met with by vessels crossing the Atlantic at L '

that period ot the year, there may be no passengers on board who take
sufficient interest to note the various species. -*^9

* ' T ' 16 u fi t r T St Eird that J' 0ined company with our vessel was a common \ '

ntish Hawk, the Kestril ( Falco tinnunculus ) ; this was on September I
23, when we were about 5 oo miles from the Irish coast, in fine and com- '
paratively calm weather,/

uladeli hiaCollecfcioE of Eggsof
the Raptores.

Tinnunculus alaudarius. European Kestril.
Pour sets of six, three sets of five. Total:
seven sets, thirty-nine eggs.

O.&O. XIV. Mar. 188y p.45

?7

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Falco snarverius .

Springfield, Mass.

189S. "About the middle of March, at ray farm, five miles from

Mar. 23. Springfield, a pair of Sparrow Hawks by their actions gave
the best of evidence that they intended to nest. They have
taken possession of a pigeon box, driving the occupants away.
This seams to me very early for them to breed."

Letter from Robert 0. Morris.

Peterborough, New Hampshire.

1899. On August 28th as I was standing on the summit of Pack

July Monadnock a young female Sparrow Hawk came flying past skim-

&

August. ming low over the rocks. This bird was no doubt a migrant

(it was moving southward at the time) but the species probably
breeds sparingly in this region for I saw an adult between
Rindge and Winchendon about twelve miles south of Peterborough
on the morning of July 10, 1899.

9C

Birds of Upper St, John
B&tcheMer.

85. Falco sparverius Linn. Sparrow Hawk. — Commonest Hawk
at Grand Falls. Not met with at Houlton or Fort Fairfield, though Mr.
Orcutt considers.it common at the latter place.

Bull N, 0.0, 7,JuIy,Z882. p,15I

Birds -within Ten "Bailee of Point
de Monts, Gan, Gcmeau & Merria,.

70. Falco sparverius. Sparrow Hawk. Rare. One shot May 5,
1882.

Bull, W.O.O, 7. Oct, 1882, p.237

Summer Birds of Bras D’Or Region
Cape Breton Id, , N.S. J. Dwight, Jr.

15. Falco sparverius.

Ault* 4, Jan., 1887. p.l®

Breeding Dates of Birds in Kings

County, N. S. Watson L. Bishop.

Sparrow Hawk ( Tinnunculus spaverius ) . May
20, 24.

Q.&O. XIII. Mar. 1888 p.4-5

wanner Birds of Sudbury, Out.

•A. Jd. uaiberarer.

| 3*60. Sparrow Hawk. Common. Breeds.

SV, 1890, P-87

cc+AotcLa.)

w /<J ,

(hstsidyj'

135. Falco sparverius. American Sparrow Hawk. — Summer resi-
dent, April 5 to October 1 (earliest February 10, 1904); common migrant;
breeds (May 18, 1892).

&AA.cbj a ^ 7 ^*

F- 99

12. Falco sparverius. American Sparrow Hawk. — Four of this
species were seen along the railroad south of Cobalt.

Summir Birde of Presidential Range
White Mts. A.P.Chadbourne

7. Falco sparverius. Sparrow Hawk.-Oh Sept. 2, 1SS4, two flew
over the summit of Mt. Clay within a few feet of us as we sat there ; and
the next day another came sailing down from above and disappeared in
Tuckerman’s Ravine, just as we began the descent.

Ank * *, April 1887 . p.103

Summer Bds.Mt. Mansfield, Vt,

4- Kalcq. sparverius. Sparrow Hawk. — One observed in the maple
woods near the base of_the mountain.

by Arthur 5. Cowell. Att C, Oct., 1901, p\39a.

X * * ✓

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Mass, (iiear Cambridge).

1888
APR 25

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Bir'd.c of Bristol County , Mass,
F. W. Andros.

Falco sparverius Linn., American Sparrow
Hawk. Summer resident, very rare. Breeds.

O.&O. XII. Sent. 1887 p.139

General Notes.

Bird Notes from Springfield, Massachusetts. — Last year, upon a narrow
platform, under the cornice of a building six stories high in the center of
the business portion of Springfield, a pair of Sparrow Hawks ( Falco spar-
verius) built their nest and the female deposited therein a set of five eggs,
which were successfully hatched. The young were then taken and removed
to the roof of the building and placed in a box, and were followed there
and cared for by the parents until they were fully grown. Any one going
on to this roof and near the nest would be assailed by one of the old birds
who would dart at the intruder from the spire of a neighboring church,
where one of the parents was usually stationed. These facts seem
remarkable when it is considered, that the incubation and rearing were in
the very heart of a busy city of fifty thousand people. Two of the voung
are still kept here in confinement. 'SSfdflbcn^fc O, Morris.

Auk XII. Jan. 1896 p. 80

f&A-U / ?LcrZZX» .

Falco sparverius. — About the middle of last March, a pair ot Sparrow

Hawks took possession for breeding purposes, of an apartment in a dove-
cote at my farm in Tatham in West Springfield, driving out a pair of
Doves that were there in possession and destroying their nest. Their
first egg was laid April 17, the second after an interval of two days, and
three others, each, after an interval of one day. Incubation commenced
after the fourth was laid. The male was at this time killed, but the
female remained devoted to her work and on the 27th of May- three
Hawks were hatched, and the following day, another. One of the eggs
proved not to be fertile. Incubation lasted thirty-four days, a period
much longer than heretofore reported. During the whole of the time of
incubation and the rearing of the young, the mother Hawk did not inter-
fere with the wild birds that had adopted the territory in the vicinity of
the dove-cote for their home.

A pair of Bluebirds nested in a bird-house within thirty feet, and
Robins, Phoebes, Vesper Sparrows and other kinds all remained undis-
turbed in the immediate neighborhood, and the pair of Doves that were
first made to give way for the Hawks, were permitted to rebuild in a
place adjacent to their first home. The young of the Hawks were all
successfully raised and are now well and happy in confinement. — Robert
O. Morris, Springfield, Mass. A.nk, XVI, Jan., 1899, VP- 9 S’- 6 ■

Qn -ju- x? .tsaeral IN otes .

PhrLoe, c Q^t^Cai

Falco sparverius. The Sparrow Hawk, always considered a rare resi-
dent in this vicinity, was found in unusual numbers during the winter of

ay. On the 4th of February
capture an English Spa

\% 0 . YJ

‘li, 1893. d. 207,

Pal 00 sparverius .

27 , c

" Hawk Plights in Connecticut" by C . C .Trowbridge
Auk, Xll, July, 1395, pp. 259-270.

See under Circus hudsonius .

Birds observed in Naval Hospital
Grounds, Brooklyn, O.H, Ooueu

2. Falco sparverius. Sparrow Hawk. — I have seen three indi-
viduals.

BuULN.O.O. 4, Jan., 1879, p. 31

Birds of the Adirondack Region.

C.H.Merriam.

122. Tinnunculus sparverius ( Linn .) Vieillot. Sparrow Hawk.
Breeds. Not common.

Bull. N. O.O. e.Oot, 1881, p.233

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Handsome Eggs of the Sparrow
Hawk.

In a large series of eggs one is almost sure
to see one or more sets that are especially
handsome. So it is with the series of eggs
of the Sparrow Hawk ( Falco sparverius) now
before me. The series consists of thirty-one
sets, and was selected with great care to ex-
hibit all the variations to which the eggs of
this bird are subject. I thought this object
had been accomplished before the arrival of
the set I now desire to refer to, but the latter
was so entirely different from all the others that
it took me completely by surprise when it was
unpacked.

The eggs were collected March 29, 1889, at
Archer, Florida, and are unquestionably to be
referred to this bird, but they are entirely
different from any others that I have ever seen.
Their ground color is a pure, dazzling white,
and large portions of their surface are entirely
unmarked. Now this is very different, to begin
with, from all other sets of eggs of this bird
that I have ever seen, and they number
several hundred. In other sets the ground
color is so covered with very minute specks of
color as to impart a reddish hue to it — some-
times quite obscuring it, but this characteris-
tic is entirely wanting in these. Then, too,
the markings are of a brighter tint on these
eggs than on any others of F. sparverius that
have come under my notice. They consist of
large blotches and spots of very bright hazel
and cinnamon-rufous, made doubly bright by
their contrast with the pure white ground
color, and the entire absence of the minute
specks above referred to.

On three of the eggs these blotches and
spots are grouped at the larger ends; on the

fourth they are at the smaller ends; while the
fifth has them on the centre of the surface.
Four of the eggs are of normal size, measur-
ing 1.35x1.07; 1.28x1.10; 1.29x1.10;

1.39x1.11; while the remaining one is very

large, it measuring 1.50x1.19.

Every one who has seen them has pro-
nounced them to be the handsomest eggs of
this bird they have ever seen, and I cannot
help sharing their opinion, although it is not
good taste to express admiration for one’s own

belongings. J- P- ■

6 ■

A Philadelphia Collection of Eggsof
the Eaptoree.

Tinnunculus sparverius. Sparrow Hawk. One
set of six, fourteen sets of five, twelve sets of
four, one set of three. Total: twenty-eight
sets, one hundred and twenty-seven eggs.

0,&0. XIV. Mar. 1889 p.45

Collection of Raptores Eggs. J.P.K.

Sparrow Hawk,

-.‘ 5 , 12 - 4 , 14 - 5 , 1 - 0 , 28 V27

O.&O. XV. Apr. 1090. p. CG

May 1888.]

AJSTD OOLOGIST.

75

I ingly spotted with reddish?

r (Nutt.), Bp. Red and
ickbird. A flock observed
an account ot which ap-
>1. 12, No. 7, pp, 107 - 4 .

'heo. T>. A. Cocke/ell of
anty, writes me, that it is
scurriug at Silver/ciifT on
e valley, by Mrf. Walter
that at present ^ think he
i in identity, a* I see no
ver reaching Cluster Coun-
e of the Rio dfcl Colorado
would open a/path to this
y its tributaries into cer-
rn Utah, th(S other species
t observed/in the county,
■ds there if no direct line
n, as is the case with this
explanation, the species
nay yet make its acquain-
ts (Aud.) Western Mead-
ow Lark. Not comn^on, but a few pair may be
found in moist and Bevel /localities, generally
in valleys between tne Mesas. They are far
more abundant in the rail, probably being
joined by more northerly birds. They leave
after the first snow-stonfts, and, contrary to the
Meadow Larks in the Bast, they do not arrive
till ready to breed. Wperfeas in Wyoming and
eastern localities, they appear very often be-
fore the snow has dhiiipearsd. Reaches 10,000
feet.

61. Scoleocophagusf ayanoekilialus (Wagh.),
Caban. Brewer’s Blackbird. \ This poor bird,
in spite of the burden it carries' in the shape of
a scientific name, pits up with ft- troubles joy-
fully and comes to/ us regularly, and its little
communities are found in the* wet ravines
where it receives its brood or broods of four or
five young, in as good form as any,of its kind.
In a net tract .near the Ft. Lewis cemetery,
there is a little plump of some five flair, build-
ing their nests hpon the ground at tie bottom
of the low bushes which grow sparingly. Not
2,000 yards to/the nest, and just over it mesa is
another colony of a few pair, who build in the
branches of the scrub oak. Now, please do not
think T have made any mistake in these two
instances, for I have been two years trying to
make myself believe so, and last spring, after
slaughtering both communities, 1 was obliged
to come io the conclusion that both colonies
were one and the same species. The Blue-
Headed Crackle is the only one in this county.
(To be Continued.)

A Series of Eggs of Tinnunculus
sparverius.

BY J. P. N.

The eggs of the Sparrow Hawk ( Tinnunculus
sparverius), are smaller than those of any other
North American Hawk. As a rule they are
handsome, being brightly colored, and most of
them have the reddish appearance which is so
characteristic of the eggs of the Falcons. They
exhibit a surprising variation in the style and
coloring of their markings, and a series of
them present a fine appearance.

While inhabiting the whole of North Amer-
ica, it appeals to be especially abundant in
California, where all but two of the sets com-
prising the present series were taken. It lays
its eggs in hollows of trees, mostly in those
which are either wholly dead, or those with
dead limbs. Often the holes made by wood-
peckers are used, but in no case is any material
carried into the hole by the bird. The eggs
are four or five in number, rarely more.

It is believed that the present series of
twenty-two sets, now before the writer, shows
all the variations to which they are subject.

Set I. May 5, 1885. Anaheim, California. Col-
lected by Julius Schneider. Nest in hollow of
a sycamore tree. Five eggs. Incubation com-
menced. Ground color white, speckled and
spotted with vinaceous-cinnamon, cinnamon-
rufous, and chestnut. The markings are
chiefly at the larger ends on three of the eggs,
and at the smaller ends on the other two : 1.30
x 1.06 ; 1.33 x 1.10; 1.30 xl.10; 1.31 xl.ll;
1.33 x 1.13.

A large portion of the ground color of this
set (which is a pure white), is unmarked, and
this makes its appearance much lighter than
any other in the series, for although other sets
have fewer markings, none of them have as
white a ground color as these.

Set II. April 18, 1885, Los Angeles County,
California. Collected by C. N. P. Nest in a
hollow tree. Four eggs, incubation well ad-
vanced. Ground color pinkish buff to ochrace-
ous buff, speckled (and with a few spots of the
same colors), with russet and burnt umber:
1.36 x 1.11; 1.35 x 1.10; 1.32 x 1.12; 1.34 x 1.13.
■ Set III. April 26, 1884, Riverside, California.
Collected by E. M. Haight. Nest in a hole in
a large eottonwmod tree. Four eggs, incubation
advanced. Ground color pinkish buff, speckled
with burnt umber. Three of the eggs have each

76

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Yol. 13-No. 5

Of them a single large blotch of burnt umber,
in addition to their speckling of the same col-
or, and it produces a very curious effect.

Set IV. April 8, 1885, Riverside, California.
Collected by E. M. Haight. Nest in hole in
dead tree. Five eggs, incubation begun.
Ground color creamy white, speckled, spotted,
and blotched with cinnamon rufous. In three
of the eggs the markings are heavier at the
smaller ends, while in the other two they are
principally at the larger ends : 1.37 x 1.15 • 1.28
xl.08; 1.21x1.07; 1.23 x 1.08; 1.25 1.05.’

Set V May 3, 1886, Tres Pinos, California.
Collected by J. R. c. Nest in natural hole in
tree. Five eggs, fresh. Creamy white ground
color, almost, obscured with speckling and
spotting of vinaeeous-cinnamon : 1.34x 1 . 08 -
1.34 x 1.09; 1.26 x 1.06; 1.37 x 1.10; 1.26 x l.Oo’
Set VI April 16, 1886, Riverside, California.
Collected by W. B. Nest in hole in dead tree.
Five eggs, incubation slight. Ground color
dull white, speckled, spotted and clouded with
vinaeeous-cinnamon, and cinnamon-rufous:
1.40 x 1.16 ; 1.50 x 1.15 ; 1.50 x 1.16 ; 1.50 x 1.16 -
l.oO x l.15; 1.46x1.17. Large eggs for this

SpGC I6& #

Set VII. May 15, 1887, Los Angeles County,
California. Collected by C. N. P. Nest in
hollow tree. Four eggs, incubation advanced.
Ground color pinkish buff to vinaceous cinna-
mon, speckled and spotted with cinnamon-
rufous and chestnut: 1.36 x 1.09; 1.36x1.11-
1-34 x 1.11 ; 1.41 x l.li.

Set VIII. May 10, 1885, Chester County,

I ennsylvania. Collected by E. M. T. Nest in
ole m an apple tree. Six eggs, incubation be-
& un. Ground color dull white to vinaceous-
cmnamon, speckled, spotted; ^

clouded with cinnamon-rufous: 1.12 x 1 . 17 -
1.39x1.11; 1.44x1.12; 1.46 x 1.12- 1 39 x
1-10; 1.38 x 1.09. ’ X

r n 6t Ft' , AP T‘ 9 ’ 1885 ' Riversid e, California.
Collected by E. M. Haight. Nest in dead stub,

in hole made by a woodpecker. Five eggs in-
cubation advanced. Pinkish buff ground color,
speckled, spotted, and blotched with vinaceous.
cinnamon and cinnamon-rufous. In three of
the eggs the markings are thicker at the larger
ends, and the other two have them grouped” at
the smaller ends: 1.37x1.11; 1.35x1.11; 1.32
xl.ll; 1.40 x 1.08; 1.38x1.11.

Set x. May 7, 1887. Los Angeles County,
California. Collected by C. N. P. Nest in hol-
low stump of a tree. Five eggs, incubation
commenced. Pinkish buff ground color,
speckled and spotted over the whole surface
with vinaeeous-cinnamon and cinnamon-rufous:

i m on 0 ’ 1,30 X 1 ‘° 3; 1M xIJ °; 1-38 x
1-10; 1.39 x 1.10.

Set XI. April 20, 1886. Tres Pinos, Califor-
nia. Collected by J. R. C. Nest a natural hole in
a tree. Eggs laid on dead wood and dirt at bot-
tom of hole. Five eggs, fresh. Pinkish buff-
ground color, speckled, spotted, and blotched
with cinnamon-rufous; and on each egg the
markings are heaver at the smaller end, where
they are confluent. Quite pointed for this

species: 1.36 x 1.08; 1.36x1.13; 1.31 x 1 . 09 -

1.26 x 1.08; 1.29 x 1.15.

Set XII. May 13, 1885, Riverside, California.
Collected by E. M. Haight. Nest in hole in
tree. Four eggs, incubation advanced. Pink-
ish buff ground color, speckled, spotted, and
clouded with vinaeeous-cinnamon and cinna-
mon-rufous. The markings are all heavier near
the smaller ends: 1.28 x 1.08; 1.29 x 1.05; 1 25
x 1.06; 1.28 x 1.09.

Set X1IL April 16, 1886, Riverside, Califor-
nia. Collected by YV. B. Nest in hole in dead
cottonwood tree. Four eggs, fresh. Ground
color creamy white to pinkish buff, speckled,
spotted, and blotched with cinnamon-rufous.
On three of the eggs the markings are much
heavier at the larger ends, but the fourth has a
wreath of heavier markings near the smaller
end: 1.30 x 1.10; 1.32 x 1 . 11 ; 1.35 x 1 . 09 ; 1.28

x 1.08.

Set XIV. May 12, 1884, Los Angeles County,
California. Four eggs. Ground color of one
of them creamy white, speckled, spotted, and
blotched with cinnamon-rufous, heaviest at the
larger end. The remaining three eggs have a
ground color of vinaceous-rufous, speckled and
spotted with cinnamon-rufous: 1.50 x 1.10-
1.50 x 1.08; 1.37 x 1.07; 1.38 x 1.07.

Set XVI. April 26, 1884, Riverside, Califor-
nia. Collected by E. M. Haight. Nest in a hole
m a large cotton tree. Four eggs. Ground color
dull white, pinkish buff, and vinaceous-cinna-
mon, speckled, spotted, clouded, and blotched
with cinnamon-rufous and chestnut : 1.35 x 1.16 •
1.34 x 1.14; 1.31 x 1.10.

Set XVII. May 20, 1886. Tres Pinos, Cal-
ifornia. Collected by J. R. C. Nest in natural
hole m tree. Four eggs, fresh. Ground color
dull white to ochraceous-buff, speckled, spotted,
and blotched with vinaeeous-cinnamon and
cinnamon-rufous : 1.36 x 1.10 ; 1.39 x 1 14 • 1 34
x 1.10; 1.37x1.14.

Set XVIII. April 1, 1881, San Diego, County,
California. Collected by William C. Flint.
Nest in large cavity in sycamore tree. Three
eggs, incubation commenced. Ground color,
dull white, speckled and spotted with cinna-

May 1888.] AND OO

mon-rufous and chestnut. On two of the eggs
the markings are heaviest at the smaller and
larger ends respectively, while the third has a
broad band of cinnamon-rufous near the smaller
end : 1.29 x 1.12; 1.31 xl.15; 1. 36 x 1.14.

Set XIX. April 16, 1866, Riverside, Califor-
nia. Collected by W. B. Nest in hole in cot-
tonwood tree. Five eggs, incubation begun.
Ground color, vinaeeous-cinnamon, speckled
and spotted with cinnamon-rufous; 1.34 x. 99;
(very odd shaped); 1.36 xl.ll; 1.33 x 1.05;
1.31 x 1.06; 1.38 x 1.09.

Set XX. April 9, 1885, Riverside, California.
Collected by E. M. Haight. Nest in a hole in
tree, made by a woodpecker. Five eggs, incu-
bation begun. Ground color dull white to
pinkish buff, speckled, spotted, and blotched,
chiefly at the larger ends, with vinaceous cin-
namon and cinnamon-rufous: 1.24 x 1.15 ; 1.27
xl.14; 1.28x1.15; (these three eggs are the
most globular of any in theseries) ; 1.26 x 1.09;
1.34 x 1.13.

Set XXL April 26, 1879, Nicasio, California.
Collected by Charles A. Allen. Four eggs.
Ground color pinkish buff, speckled, spotted,
and blotched with cinnamon-rufous. The
markings are confluent at the larger ends in
three of the larger eggs: 1.33 x 1.13; 1.87 x
1.14; 1.36 x 1.11; 1.43 x 1.05.

Set XXII. May 3, 1867. Los Angeles Coun-
ty, California. Collected by C. N. P. Nest
in a hollow tree. Five eggs, fresh. Ground
color vinaeeous-cinnamon, speckled and spotted
with cinnamon-rufous : 1.34 x 1 .13 ; 1.34 xl.ll ;
1.35x1.12; 1.36x1.12; 1.33x1.11. ^ -

Q. &O. XIII. , May. 18 88

101

The Sparrow Hawk.

( Tinnunculus sparverius.)

This handsome little Hawk is abundant
; and breeds plentifully in old decayed
stumps and trunks of trees, generally in

some deserted Flicker’s hole. I have taken
a large number of their eggs this year.
From one nest I obtained seven eggs at
different times, although the complete
clutch consists as a rule of four. On May
29th I found the above mentioned nest in
the decayed trunk of a cottonwood tree so
badly decayed that I could not trust to
climbing, so I pushed it over, letting it
fall against a clump of birches where it
remained standing at an angle of forty de-
grees from its original position, where I
could easily reach the nest. The eggs, of
which there were three, were laid in the
| hole of a Red-shafted Flicker, ( Colaptes
{ auratus mexicanus), upon the chips left
I by the former occupant. I took these eggs
j and on the 1st of June visited the nest
| again and found another egg, which I took.

On June 7tli, finding the birds were still
J in the vicinity, I climbed to the nest once
more and to my surprise found the female
on, nor would she move for me, but kept
her head buried in her breast. Being
greatly surprised and somewhat taken
aback by such actions, I wrapped my
handkerchief about my hand, and after
turning her over in the nest, pulled her
legs through and transferred the handker-
chief to the legs of the bird, tying it in a
knot, then I drew her through and found
three more eggs. On reaching the ground
I examined my bird and, sorry to relate, I
had broken the eighth egg in the bird,

| which of course accounted for her staying
on the nest so long. The eggs of this bird
vary greatly both in color and shape. In
most specimens the ground color seems to
be white, more or less spotted and blotched
with burnt umber, this color completely
covering one end, but it seems immaterial
to the bird which end. In other specimens
the burnt umber entirely covers the ground
color. Even the eggs of the same clutch
show a great difference in markings. Some
eggs are nearly spherical, others are elon-
gated and pointed. — Cha ^

Fort McKinney, Wyo. Ter. /% gy] p.m .

The Eggs of the Sparrow Hawk.

In 1857, when Dr. Brewer published the first
(and only) part of liis Forth American Oology he
gave figures of four -eggs of the Sparrow Hawk
{Tinnunculus sparverius ,) which are comparative-
ly very little spotted. One of them (represented
in Plate II, figure 15a,) he calls especial attention
to “on account of its well-defined markings, and
the unusual depth and distinctness of the colors.”

This is a very curious statement, as the egg in
question has not a tenth part of the quantity of
markings which are quite common on the eggs of
this bird. Out of a large series before the present
writer, three-fourths of them exhibit much richer
and heavier coloring. Especially is this the case
with a number of those eggs which come from
California. Many of them are so heavily marked
with reddish that the whole of the larger end is
covered, while in others the markings form a
belt or zone which is sometimes around the
smaller end, but generally near the greater.

Again, in other specimens from Pennsylvania and
California, the whole of the ground color is so
profusely covered with very minute specks of
reddish color that the general effect is almost as
if it were all reddish.

Dr. Brewer must have had very light colored
specimens before him when he made the state-
ment quoted above. 0.& O. XI. Feb. 1836. p. j? /.

Curious Nests of the Sparrow Hawk.

BY ,r. P. N.

Dr. J. C. Merrill, U. S. A., while in Montana,
collected twenty-five or more sets of eggs of
this bird, and noticed a most peculiar fact in re-
gard to their nests. He has kindly permitted
me to quote from his notes on Montana Birds
the following ;

“Of the many nests examined, most were in
cavities in trees, either natural or made by
Flickers. The eggs are placed in a slight bed
of leaves and grasses, or a few chips, or on
the bare wood. Holes of suitable size and
shape in rocky cliffs or river banks are also fav-
orite nesting sites.

“ In nests found along the lower streams,
five eggs are the usual complement, while
those found in the mountains generally con-
tain fewer.”

This is the first authentic instance that has
come to my knowledge where this bird has
taken lining of any kind into the hole occupied
by it as a nest. Their almost universal habit is
to lay' their eggs on the bare wood, and Dr.
Merrill’s experiences are therefore all the more
interesting.

p.100

Pigeon Hawk, ( Falco columbarius) .

1 set of 4

O.&O. XII. Oct. 1887 p.167

New Eng. Rap bores. Number Eggsin

a set. F- H. Carpenter.

Sparrow Hawk, (Falco sparverius ).

14 sets of 4
11 “ « 5

O &0. XII. Oct. 1887 p. 197

r

Birds Tioga 00, N.Y. Aide* Loring.

420 Sparrow Hawk. Quite rare. Breeds
Builds m a natural cavity in a tree I Z

•*» •.««. .

ZnZ : y ‘“ the gtound and ™

OiftOi xy, Jane, isuo. p.as

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tvs. ^4A, <^«L , A

i2u>(4. ^4^- *7 t*ft4P

H tv V »'to» -

/'Aytc* 4AJ/t v*^«

7 Two S parro w Hawks’ nests were found
May 13, each a set of four. One of the
nests was in an old Flicker’s hole in an ap-
ple tree just a few rods back of a farmer’s
barn. Cooper’s Hawk are very common.

Especially worthy of mention were a set
of ’ six eggs May 9, and a set of four
sprinkled with reddish brown spots the size
of a pin head.

/2tXc yyjoL^t F H' V? ■

@ + (P. ZX. (2^. /^y. J

New Eng. Rap tores. Number Eggsin
a set. F. H. Carpenter.

^ c's ^ &
; g -7 ~ ^ I m
O ^ £ ,, g- S

fO ’

d

oo 2 ^ „ . .

^ O ° ^ I VO 1? O
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« s’ S'

d <u

Ibid.

1:981 . The- American Sparrow Hawk. By Dr. W. S. Strode.

No. 2, July, 1890, pp. 3-6. — Chiefly nesting habits.

^ n ' zoolo gist's Semi-annual, Vol. 2 1

329. Sparrow-Hawk and Plover. By Charles A. Willis. Ibid VI
p- 64.— Diving of the latter to escape attack.

d 7 \, SP ?'Z° W HaWk ' Bj Jn °’ H ’ Sa ^ e ' •««•. VI, p. 6. — Breeding
at Portland, Conn., m a pigeon-hole in a barn! Also notice of capture O' anA q
of Accrtnter fuscus in wintw nr.k . ,oo.\ ” lure s.<g, \p-.

G.aad Q»

of Accipiter fuscas in winter (Feb. 4, 1881)

1142. The Sparrow Hawk's Services. By A. (— H.j W. Henshaw.

No. 14, April 19, p. 263. (Under the same title is a note also by
Henry L.tchfield West.)— In answer to the last (No. ii 40 ©r, & Stream, YOl.XXVI

cv

7 Two Sparrow Hawks' nests were found
May 13, each a set of four. One of the
nests was in an old Flicker’s hole in an ap-
ple tree just a few rods back of a farmer’s
barn. Cooper’s Hawk are very common.
Especially worthy of mention were a set
of ' six eggs May 9, and a set of four
sprinkled with reddish brown spots the size/
of a pin head.

yyla^j. R/'f.'G.

® + l£. CU^j. !***/. pjtro'

New Eng. Rap tores. Number Eggs in
a set. F.H. Carpenter.

Pigeon Hawk, ( Falco columbarius ).

1 set of 4

0,&0. XII. Oct. 1887 P.167

New Eng. Raptores. Number Eggsin
a set. F. H. Carpenter.

j Sparrow Hawk, ( Falco sparverius') .

14 sets of 4
11 “ » 5

O &O. XII. Oct. 1887 p. 167

Birds Tioga Oo, Ni "Y". AIds.fi Loring,

420 Sparrow Hawk. Quite rare. Breeds
mlds in a natural cavity in a tree. J had the
good luck last year to find a nest It “L

Sued Ive* yout fr °r t T k ^ C -

There were three males ami two 'females! ^he
ood of tins specks consists of grasshoppers
small birds and field mice. P ’

Ott&Ot xy t jane, iS9o, d>qq 1

1981. The American Sparrow Hawk. By Dr. W. S. Strode.

No. 2, July, 1890, pp. 3-6. — Chiefly nesting habits.

& C olonist's Bemi -ani ltial.Yol. 2.

329. Sparrow-Hawk and Plover. By Charles A. Willis. Ibid., VI,
p. 64.— Diving of the latter to escape attack.

* 71 ’ S *fZ™ HaWk ' B ^J no - «• Sage. Ibid., VI, p. 6. — Breeding
at Portland, Conn., in a pigeon-hole in a barn ! Also notice of capture C Q

vinter fFeb. a. tSStV ’ ° R

Q.aud Q»

of Acc.ipiter fuscus in winter (Feb. 4, 1881).

1142. The Sparro-w Hawk's Services. By A. (— H.] W. Henshaw.

Ibid., No. 14, April 19, p. 263. (Under the same title is a note also by
Henry Litchfield West.)— In answer to the last (No. H4£F©r, fy Stream. Yoi.XXVI

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place and fastened on top of a pole about 18 feet from the ground and
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large colony of these birds which are continually worrying the hawks
when they return with food for the young. A week ago when I looked in
the box there were three or four young ones covered with white down. —
Wm. H. Browning, New York, N. Y.

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w- ^4AV 'z' ( ^ > , ^Cyy^rK ^(aA ^ PaAAas] ( ^'^ / t - *

Z/f

1890^

Mar$-'3S

ton ay pro I , banana Oro - ok .

About ten to twenty in sight constantly fishing. I watched
them through the glass at ICO to 500 yards. They carried their
legs and feet stretched out behind* under the tail and showing more
or less distinctly, and poised over one spot several minutes at a
time ^ flapping their wings intermi ttantly . The curve of the wing
was very beautiful- -like this; They dove by closing

their wings and dropping head first(l am sure of this), precisely
like a Tern. Capt says the feet are extended to the head,

but I did not see this. I saw five Ospreys on a dead tree at once
eating \ fish. All faced the same way, towards the wind. A Brown
T Eagle chased two Ospreys coming to this tree. It easily oyertoc^k//-

close to the tail, the osprey doubling continually and whistling.
The first time each was followed one half a mile; then the Eagle
gave up. The second time their chase was lost behind the woods. On
the 6th, I saw a pair of Eagles rob an Osprey. ThWjT rose slightly
above him, then one stooped, apparently striking him slightly, when
he dropped the fish. The other Eagle caught it before it reached
the ground.

1890

Mar20-Apl

Florida^

Suwanee River
Mar20-Aprl , 1890 .

Only a few stragglers seen until we were within fifteen or
twenty miles of the mouth of the river , when they became more
and more numerous as we descended, reaching the height of their
abundance near the limit of the wooded area, where it bordered 6n
the marshes of the coast. Here we found on the average at least
one pair to every mile of river, and there were occasionally pairs
also breeding on many of its connecting creeks,. Their nests were
usually placed in cypresses^ ordinarily on the tops of stunted
or p,j,Mtii ( l'l! .'U'ly dead trees, the height above the ground varying
from 25 or 30 to 75 or 80 feet. On the Jo ^ i

saw a paie corpulating. The female was sitting on the nest when
the male appeared soaring at a height of about fifty feet above
it. Suddenly he poised and bpgan flapping his wings in a loose,
butter-fly fashion, maintain<W»his position in one spot for near-
ly a minute during which time^ie screamed incessantly in high,

4 ix^JbL tones resembling /very closely those of the Duck Hawk . &ZT

Suddenly ho partially close*Uhis wings, ^shot down 1 ik e rt ar^rrow ,

• n d effected a union with nis mate, flapping his v/ings duriragahe
wawwi "Several birds were seen sitting on their nests at about
this date, when I am inclined to thai&k that most of them were lay-
ing. Four or five days previously, we saw a pair building or
rather adding to the nest, which was already appcr of
sise. Th^- flew across the river, coming from a distance and bear-
ing large sticks in their claws . These were placed in position
both birds apparentlyTffSp*^; and making a great fuss, flapping
their wings and screaming incessantly. The Fish Hawks on this riv-
er are ordinarily too shy to allow a boat to come wi thin gu najiqt^yy _
’iSi 2U + E *** began laying, they became somewhat bolde^TwhSi

fifty yards and wMsSinr’in'Inx^us tZfs ""on" ^ ^ ^
saw a curious reversal o?

was'aftackld Srious? °t ^ tr9 '” * ith * « sh-WVW in its talons
-M + + 1 ' d f uriously by a pa^ of Fish Hawks which, rising a

uttering b the ^ 1 ^ 1 ^^""“^-

Z i6nfc ' ;h ° nS °f S the a SaSs en appare a Sly
swooped down after it, but failed" to overtake it b^foTe h “ached
c i r c ling ** o v e ^ t h ^ W&S lGSt ‘ 7116 Pish Hawks remained for some time

Tn z zzzitZ’ZZTZ

ira.Hfer lm T «*• reached the stage

caudit th“ fkh cr + began, and so cannot tell whether the Eagle
, . ' 1 lsh or took i } aw ay from one of the Hawks" but as mv

a ,ention was attracted 6ry the creaaming of the Hawks, and as I
had^iot heard fecund privi^sly, a3 would have been ’ the case _

—

ft J

Maine .

Panel ion lial iaetus carol inonsis .

Robbing a Loon.

I have a note about a Pish Hawk robbing a Loon too good
to be lost, liy old friend Louis Ketchau, the most noted guide
in Maine, called a few days ago. Louis always notices every-
thing strange he sees in birds and animals and reports when
we meet. He told me that a Loon came up near him and had a
trout too large to swallow and was killing it when he heard
a rushing noise and saw a Pish Hawk dropping with closed wings
straight down upon the Loon. Startled by the noise the Loon
dove and the Hawk seized the trout and was going off with it
when the Loon rose. Louis is perfectly truthful and there is
not the least question but he saw as he described. This is
the first case I ever heard of a Pish Hawk robbing another
bird. Copied from a letter to Wm. Brewster

from Manly Hardy, Brewer, Maine, Apr. 13, 1897.

Pandion Iial i actus carol inensls ,

Concord, Mass.

1899. Along the river on my way down, I saw an Osprey.

April 11. The Osprey was perched on a stake eating a large fish. Sever-
al Crows were mobbing him viciously. Gilbert tells me that
he saw the. same thing happen near the cabin this morning and
that the Osprey (who was flying) was so hard pressed that he
finally dropped his fish. It fell into the water among some
bushes directly in front of the cabin. The Crows did not
attempt to take it. I doubt if they were after the fish in
either case. Just as I was finishing the proceeding sentence
I heard an Osprey whistling and stepping out discovered him
perched on the top of a white pine on the crest of Ball's

Hill .

Alloa, Summer Birds Bras d’Or Regioi

Pandion haliaetus carolinensis. — -A few observed.

Auk, 8 , April, 1891, 9 , 105

Birds -within Ten Miles of Point'
de Monts, Can, Oome&U <fc Merriam.

72 . Pandion haliaetus. Fish Hawk. — A few pairs of Fish Hawks
breed in this vicinity every year. They were first seen May 2 , 18 S 2 .
They depart in November.

Ball, N. 0.0, 7, Oct, 1882, p,288

Pandion haliaetus carolinensis, American Os-
prey. Common, and breeding all along the
coast as far east as Cape Whittle.

136. Pandion haliaetus carolinensis. American Osprey. — Regular
migrant, fairly common May (May 10, 1902), and September 1 to 15, and
probably later.

O.&O. XII. Mar. 1887. p. 33

Rummer Bde. Restigouche Valley, N.B,
July,’88. J. Brittain and P.Cox, Jr.

Pandion haliaetus. American Osprey.— Q uite

common.

Auk, VI. April, 1889. p.117

SnsoBJet Birds of Budbury, Out.
A.fi.Alberaer.

364. Fish Hawk. Occasional. Breeds.
J aly 12t h a pair had young nearly develope d.

' 50 3 2V, Jnne, 1890, p-87

Dwight, Rummer Birds of
Prince Edward Island.

Pandion haliaetos carolinensis. American Osprey. — Seen both at
Tignish and Souris in limited numbers.

Auk X, Jan, 1893. P .M?

23. Pandion haliaetus carolinensis. Fish Hawk —

— Common.

Louis H. Porter, New York City.

• 7Z

fzi

r

Birds Tim Pond Me. by P. H. C.

Bummer

Osprey, ( Pandion haliatus carolinenm). One
seen in ’85, remaining about the lake.

O.&O. XI. Feb. 1880. p. jgJ'

Birds of Dead River Region, Me, P.H.O.

84. Pandion liahaetus earolinensis, (Osprey). A
single individual of this species remained at Tim
Pond for about three weeks in August, 1885. This
was the only record of the entire region.

O.&O. XI. Dec. 1886. p. 177

n^ U I ni ^ e Ax :R ® sid6l:lts on Southwest
Cbastor Maine. T.H, Montgomery, Jr.

864. American Osprey. Common. At
North Haven, I found two empty nests, and we
secured two adult 9 and a young $ .

’< ■I'SO, 16.1 Nov, 1890, p, 101

Fish Hawk Shot. For several years a
pair of Fisli Hawks have visited East
Rochester, N. H., on the Cocheco river.
Sportsmen have tried each year in vain to

secure them, until April 18 of this year,
when Thomas Gotts secured one of them
with a shot from a small rifle. It meas-
ured five feet six inches n iu

Sinclair , East Rochester, Tv. IL '

£ ia.

Summer Birds of PresidentialRange,

White Mts. A.P.Ohadbourne

8. Pandion haliaetus carolinensis. American Osprey. — As we were
descending the cone of Mt. Jefferson on Sept. 2, 1SS4, an Osprey flew
slowly over a few yards above our heads. Altitude, approximately 5500
feet.

A*k, 4, April 1887. p.104

ns

/ // E, Mas's. 1885., / /

3 ,~- tyu., Z. , (?

Birds of Bristol County , Mass.

F. W. Andros.

Pandion halimtus carolinensis (Gmel.), Amer-
ican Osprey. Summer resident, common.
Breeds.

O &0. XII. Sept. 1887 p.130

H7

/ /j S. Sfas's. 1885., /

Mass. ( near Concord'). 1887

M7

OJvCu 7- ./X-

£c

M ass, ( near Co?icord').

1888

APR 5 *- ?-

April 3d, Osprey.—//. .F. Dexter.

aWiMsedt* cd' ^CKfU^ycavUTd
j{. ft. 7) Irf-Udj .

0 .& O. XI. Apr. 1889 , p.

Birds of Bristol County, Mass.
F. W. Andros.

Pandion haliaitus carolinensis (Gmel.), Amer-
ican Osprey. Summer resident, common.
Breeds.

O & 0 . XII. Sept. 1887 p .139

General Notes,

Stray Notes from Massachusetts.

George H. Mackay.

Pandion haliaetus carolinensis. — Sept. 22. Eight Fish-hawks passed
over the pond to-day.

Ante XI. Jan. 1894 p. 84

1890, p.frg'

- Fal

Nantucket and^fel’skeget Island faotes. — I^alco sparverius. — Nan-
tucket, Sept. 22, 1895, I observed eight American Sparrow Hawks, in
pairs, migrants ; none noted before this season. Usually see a few about
YWo.cU<^y t " 7 ? c^x^-Ha c k -cX' ' yv\ .

this time.

PUBLICATION

OF THE

BRISTOL COUNTY

ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB.

No. 2*

THE OCCURRENCE OF THE OSPREY IN THE
FAUNA OF BRISTOL COUNTY, MASS.

BY

FREDERIC H. CARPENTER.

BRISTOL COUNTY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB,
F. W. ANDROS, TAUNTON, MASS.,
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

1887.

THE OCCURRENCE OF THE OSPREY IN THE FAUNA
OF BRISTOL COUNTY, MASS.

Upon examination of the records of former writers
of our New England birds we notice that the Osprey
( Pandion haliaelus Caroline ns is) was regarded as
rare or wanting in the State of Massachusetts. Later,
authors have, however, ascribed the bird to tiiis State,
stating its abundance according to various local au-
thorities.

Some of the statements set forth are absurd and in
many instances entirely at variance with truth, and it
has been deemed advisable to present, in a very brief
manner, the general status of the Osprey in Bristol
County.

DISTRIBUTION.

Colonization seems an important factor in the habits
of these birds, and with few exceptions their nests are
placed in close proximity to the two rivers (Lee and
Palmer) in the southern portion of the county, which
are tributaries of Mt. Hope Bay. There, in an area of
about five square miles, it is computed that no less than
two hundred and fifty nests are placed. Other single
nests are reported from numerous localities in the
interior, and the Ospreys are often seen, singly or in
pairs, far from their usual haunts.

Their first arrival in spring is noted by the last week
in March, and generally coincident with the first schools
of Herring in the rivers.

Their food is obtained from the waters near which
their nests are placed, which renders them very local
in their general habitat. They remain about their nests
from the time of their arrival, months before the period
of incubation. One peculiar trait has been observed in
relation to their changing nesting localities in unison.
Twice during the past decade they have abandoned the

vicinity of one river and taken possession of the swamps
bordering on the other, some four miles distant. No
motive could be ascertained for their actions, as they
are afforded protection in either locality.

NIDIFIGATION .

No date is better for inspecting complete fresh sets
of their eggs than May 10th, as I have observed by
annual visits during the past thirteen years. As an
interesting item of oology, it may be mentioned that
a series of eggs, taken from the same pair of birds
for successive seasons, show a remarkable similarity
in coloration. My esteemed co-laborer, Mr. F. W.
Andros, of Taunton, Mass., agrees with me, in his
own large experience. From two hundred and thirty-
six sets which have been examined, three were of four
eggs, one hundred and seventy-nine of three eggs,
forty-seven with two eggs, and seven with one egg.
In the latter case the eggs were abnormal specimens.

The situation of their nests is varied, the majority
being placed in tall trees difficult of ascent, and in
many cases in close proximity to houses. Many nests
are, however, placed at a moderate heighth and occa-
sional ly they occupy apple-trees in orchards. The
various colorations of their eggs and composition of the
huge nests need no mention in this place. Two sets
of eggs are laid, when the first are taken.

CONCLUSIONS.

From evidence offered we ascertain that the Ospreys
hold their relation to the fauna of Bristol County, at
the present time, in the same numerical rate, as previ-
ous to the present decade ; not seeming to increase, nor
diminish in numbers, and they should not be over-
looked when considering the birds of Massachusetts,
for by reason of large size, and stately flight, together
with considerable numbers, they are a prominent
feature in our local fauna, whose omission should not
occur on our lists.

F. H. Carpenter.

Auk, XII, July, 1895, pp.3*o-/ .

Ospreys at Bristol, R. I. — All along the shores of Mount Hope Bay on
the promontory of Bristol, Rhode Island, the Osprey breeds in com-
paratively large numbers. Although the surrounding country is geologi-
cally the same in character yet only few nests are to be found elsewhere.
The island of Rhode Island itself, I believe, has a few nests on its shores
and near Wickford and along the Providence River a half dozen or so
scattered pairs breed.

But there is in Bristol proper each summer, a colony, if so it can be
called, consisting of fifteen pairs. Seven of the nests are in dead button-
wood trees ( Platanus occidentalism and the remaining eight are built on
a kind of structure erected by the farmers for their convenience; namely,
a stout pole, averaging twenty-five feet in height, on the top of which an
old cart wheel has been placed. In some instances a crossbar forming a
perch is nailed just below or on the upper side of the wheel.

After a new pole has been raised, which is generally in the autumn,
the coming spring sees it taken by a pair of Hawks. The farmers claim
that the birds arrive regularly on the tenth of April, that is at the depart-
ure of the Gulls northward. They immediately commence repairing the
damage done to their home during the past winter. At this time they
can be seen flying about with long streamers of eel-grass trailing from
their talons. From yearly additions the nests reach enormous dimen-
sions and between the spokes of the wheels and among the heavy sticks
that form the base, English Sparrows [Passer domesticus ) build. About
the first week in May the females lay three eggs (very rarely four) and
by the last of the month or in the first week in June the fluffy bodies
of the young can be seen above the edge of the nest. By the middle of
August they are able to care for themselves.

In one of the pole nests in the summer of 1890 the birds had, either in
repairing it or in some other way, brought a bulb or seed of a weed to
the nest where, cultivated by the decayed fish, it grew to the height of
two or three feet. They paid no attention to it and in the course of a
few weeks it withered and died.

The Osprey obtains the greater part of its living in Bristol from the
fish seines that run out from the shores in every feasible place, and the
Hawks are to be seen at all hours of the day sitting on the poles that
support the nets, now and then driving in, or rather dropping down, to
obtain some denizen that it contains. In the noonday numbers of
Hawks gather over the bay and fields and, mounting high in the air,
circle round and round, uttering a combination of piercing, musical cries,
which the farmers insist upon calling a song. This song, if so it can be
called, begins with three notes in the same key, then two in a higher,
and then the completing note in the same key with the first three. If
the cry of any Hawk can be spoken of as a song, these six musical notes
of the Osprey are certainly as near to it as any.

The Ospreys in Bristol have been so carefully watched, — as the belief
among the farmers is that they protect their poultry from other maraud-
ing Hawks, — that they have become very tame and only when the eggs
are nearly hatched or when the young are in the nest do they pay any
heed to a passer by. Their dislike for dogs is apparently stronger chan
for men, yet I have never seen them strike either.

In the last week of October or the first in November they leave for the
south and are replaced by the Gulls. The colonies in New Jersey and on
Plum Island are of course much larger but almost every year new pole
nests are added to the colony in Bristol and the future may see a much
larger community. — Reginald Heber IIowe, Jr., Boston , Mass.

A Large Brood d^'d)'^pre^T— A ^Pciir , o^ C t^s^fe^s (. Pandion haliaetus
carolinensis ) that build on one of the pole nests in Bristol, R. I. (see
‘Auk,’ Vol. XII, No. 3, p. 300), raised last spring (1895) a brood of
seven young. On the nth of June two of the nestlings, about the size
of squabs, were picked up dead under the nest and on the twenty-sixth
of the same month another young bird was also found dead at the foot
of the pole. In the latter part of July the nest contained four almost
fully fledged young. This is the largest brood of Ospreys I have ever
heard of being raised in a season, and from all appearances the seven
eggs must have been laid in seven or eight days. — Reginald Heber
IIowe, Jr., Brookline , Mass.

Pan a Ion h . c aro 1 inen sis

"Hawk Plights in Connecticut" by C .C .Trowbridge .
Auk, Xll, July, 1895, pp. 259-270.

See under C ircus hudsonius .

Connecticut, June, 1893,

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P andio n ca rolisensis : Set of two, May 18,
Sandy Hollow. May 5, set of two, old Whale
Rook Spindle, Pislier’s Island Sound.

O.&O. y.P«b.l885.p.5r

cThffca

tmst/ SCAs-yi yt/^r^M^oD . /

on the i3th A a Fish Hawk.

<&. Z?. Qjdfas.

O.&OV 0 I. 17 , Nov. 1892 p.172

Birds of the Adirondack Region.

<5. H.Merriam.

123 . Pandion haliaetus carolinensis ( Gmelin ) Ridg-way. Fish
Hawk. — Tolerably common summer resident.

Buli N, O. O, e.Oct, 1881, p, 233

We had good
luck on Gardiner’s Island and got a lot of

Fish Hawks ’

^ 71 / ■ 7 ,

is. 7s.

O.&O. VIII. Dec. 1883. p.Prf

March 1. Saw a Fish Hawk crossing Gardiner’s Bay,
twenty days ahead of their usual time of arriving.

fy. fy. It. fy- V

O.&O. IX. Feb. 1884.

Notes, Shelter Island, N.Y.
W.W. Worthington.

The Fish Hawks were about a week behind
time, on the 27th of March.

O.&O. X. May. 1886. p. W*

Bds. Obs. at Little and Great Gull : s-
l*nds, N.Y. Aug. ’88 L.H. Butcher.

12 . Pandion haliaetus carolinensis. American Osprey.— S everal
individuals of this species were seen in Gardiner’s Bay. while we were
en route for Little Gull; undone or two were seen fishing around that
island. It was the exception rather than the rule, however, to see them
so far out; they seem to prefer to stay nearer the main land.

Auk, '?L April. 1889. p.

Birds Tioga, 0®. N.Y. Alden Loring.

! 425. Osprey or Fish Hawk. One of these

birds usually stays around here every summer.

0 a &Q„ XV. Ians, 1890, p»85

E. A. Sterling, Brooklyn, Pa.

Auk, XIX, July, 1902, p p. ^J-3oo-

Ospreys' Eggs. In your October issue
appear some notes on number of eggs laid
by Ospreys, and it has occurred to me to
ask if the number in a clutch influences
the size of the eggs. The clutch of four
mentioned as haying been sent to England
by Mr. Worthington is in my collection,
and the eggs measure as follows: 2.26 X
1.75, 2.31 X 1.75, 2.28 X 1.8, 2.27 X 1.76. A
clutch of two, received from the same gen-
tleman, measured 2.42x1.81, 2.4*3x1-79;
and a clutch of three collected by Mr.
Griffing, and sent to me by Mr. Snowdon
Howland, measure 2.5x1.82, 2.5x1.86,
2.56x1.83. If at any time I can an-
swer, for any of your readers, questions
relating to Birds of the British fauna which
appear in your lists as accidental visitors,
it will give me great pleasure to do so.—

W. Wells Bladen , Stone, Staffordshire,
England. O. V211. June. 1883. p. V V.

>

A PhiladelphiaCollection of Eggs of
the Raptorea.

I Pandion haliceetus carolinensis. American
Osprey, Fish Hawk. One set of four, thirty-six
I sets of three, two sets of two. Total: thirty-
'll nine sets, one hundred and sixteen eggs.

Q.& O. XIV. Mar. 1839 p. 45

Collection of $,apk>res Eggs. J. P. IT.

Fish Hawk, 3-2, »(-», 1-4, 40 118

O.&o. XV. Apr. 1890. p. 56

t-l'fil-fi-

The American Osprey ( Pandion haMaetus car-
olinensis) was the noblest of the birds. Of these
species there was probably breeding at the
time of my first visit about fifty pairs. Their
nests are the most conspicuous of all objects,
some of them having evidently been tenanted
for many years, and with their annual addi-
tions of material are enormous, and the con-
tents difficult of access. The nest trees are
generally dead, though not invariably, and I
am satisfied that the ordure and garbage which
the birds drop all over and around the trees
have nothing whatever to do with killing them.
One pair of birds who were robbed on
my first visit, and nest torn down, immedi-
ately went to building on a neighboring tree

which had been dead for years. Besides this,
the place abounds in dead trees, and being either
pine or cedar become well seasoned with saline
matter and salt air, so that the dead trees are as
strong as the living ones, and I think the Os-
prey selects them in preference to the others.
A fisherman who lives on this place assured
me that one particular living tree from which
I took a handsome clutch of three eggs on
May 23, had been occupied by the same pair of
birds for at least ten years to his certain knowl-
edge, and the tree is as green and prosperous

now as ever.

Old birds build higher in the trees than young
| ones, and often select larger and more difficult
trees to climb. The largest nests, I reasoned,
belong to the older birds, who have added to'
their fagot homes for years, and such nests in-
variably contained sets of three heavily marked
eggs. The small and new nests were always
occupied by a youthful pair, and were built
either on low trees or on some portion of up-
rooted trunks, of which there are a great
many.

When I saw one of these low, small nests, I
thought to myself, here is a lightly marked set
of two, and such proved to be the case always.
“Lookout nest,” the most magnificent eyrie
of the entire colony was built on the top of a
mammoth pine exactly ninety feet from the
ground, on a piece of higher land than the
surrounding meadows and beach, and I was
well repaid for a bruising and tiresome climb
by a peerless set of four fresh eggs of the
brightest red hue, as well as the commanding
view of ocean and woodland for miles around.
Nests so situated are rare, and the oologistwill
j find most nests easy to reach, though sets of
four sometimes come high, and of a large and
striking series of eggs taken this was the only
set of that number.

An inexperienced set of Ospreys had built
their nest upon an overturned tree upon a por-
tion of the meadow land very difficult of ac-
cess by reason of the creeks which encircled
the little plat on all sides. I knew full well the
nest contained a lightly marked set, because of
its lowly nature and undersize, and so after
having undressed and crossed the water I was
not surprised to find a set of two, one of which
is pure white unmarked, in shape oblong oval ;
the other richly marked about the greater end
with umber, the major portion of this specimen
being also unmarked, and well rounded in

shape.

These birds will not always lay a second
clutch after having been robbed of the first.
This was a point to which I paid especial at-
tention, making note and sketches of trees con-
taining nests robbed in May, and on being re-
visited late in June it was determined that
just thirteen per cent, of the birds had laid
second sets, and they were in every case the
younger birds. Some of the eggs of the
second layings were wonderfully colored. One
set of undersized eggs were almost devoid of
any marking, presenting a washed out appear-
ance. Another set contained one egg in which
lilac was the predominating color. An egg in
another set bears a close resemblance to an ex-
ample of Red-tailed Hawk ( Buteo borealis) be-
ing well rounded anti white, the ground color
sparingly splashed with reddish-brown blot-
ches. The majority of the previously robbed
nests had, at the time of my second visit, been
filled up with rubbish, dung, sods, etc., so that
the top of the nests were heaped up just as they
would be in the Fall before leaving for the
south, thus conclusively proving that they did
not intend raising a brood for this season./

QU9. X±X l-Z.

Observations on Nest-Building.

BY WALTER HOXIE, FROGMORE, S. C.

The year before last I went “cooning.” It
was late for coons, and I rapped at many hol-
lows without success. At last I dislodged a
Pileated Woodpecker, and made a careful note
of the spot for future reference. In the next
hollow I secured my coon.

Turning homeward, I noticed in a big “dead-
ing” a pine tree with the top broken off, leaving
a wide, ragged hollow on the south side. Into
this were thrust four stout sticks. It was fully
thirty feet from the ground, and while I was
wondering how they came there, a Fish Hawk
passed overhead and added a fifth stick to the
collection, thus solving my problem for me.

The planting of this stick was a work of con-
siderable time and patience. The mate came
and assisted, and some very animated conver-
sation ensued which I was too ignorant to trans-
late, or at least could only do so in a manner
which could not be called anything but very
“freely.” I got quite interested in this piece
of architecture, and spent a good deal of time
during the next week “ overseeing” the job.

When the nest was completed it looked as if it
was stuck against the south side of the stub,
and the hollow was plainly cldse to this edge. ;

With a glass I could see the feathers of the sit-
ting bird through the side of the nest. After
incubation was well advanced there came a
very windy spell of weather. After it was over
the male was exceedingly active, adding mate-
rial to the north side of the structure. Plainly
the winds had shown them that their domicile
was top heavy, and he was balasting it for fear
a stronger gale might come and topple it over.

Last year this same nest was repaired and the
old hollow completely filled up, and a new one
made on top and in the middle.

O.&O. XII, Nov. 1887 p.

Ilf

Occurs here abouRdTie same as the preceding,
though on tlic wjlOKvwere common and local.

Pyrrhuloxk/sinuata , (Texan Cardinal) A com-
mon resident. Breeds in. the northern portion.

Pimilo'fuscm mesoleucus , (CaXpn Towhee). A
cojrfmon summer resident of ilia. Rio Grande
yallcy and some distance southward. \Breeds.

(To be Continued.) \

A Day Among the Ospreys.

BY F. W. ANDROS, TAUNTON, MASS.

Our former trips to the “Osprey Colony” on
Palmer’s River, had been so successful and pleas-
uroable that we planned another early the past
spring. The party consisted of my friend Mr. P. H.
C., my brother Mr. C. II. Andros, and the writer.
We concluded we would, celebrate the thirteenth
anniversary of our friends’ visits to this colony
by making the trip on May 10th. Accordingly,
with this purpose in view, we met on the evening
of the 8th, at our friend’s house, where arrange-
ments were made for our trip, a rough sketch of
the territory we were to visit was made on paper,
climbers were put in good shape, hunting suits
placed in their appointed corner and plans laid
for a successful day’s work. The following day
being Sunday we laid over and rested, but impa-
tient for the 10th to appear, we retired early and
arose at 12.80 a. m., and donned our hunting rigs,
then prepared for the trip by sitting down to a
hot breakfast, after which we gathered together
our climbers, ropes and knapsacks and left the
house before 2 a. m., taking a road which led us
south some eight miles or so, all the while de-
scending gradually into a large valley through
which the Palmer’s River flows, over which we
crossed several times owing to its winding course.
Before we enter upon the trip proper, I will give
a brief description of the nests. These are placed
in open fields or along the roadsides, as well as in
thickly wooded swamps, frequently a consider-
able distance from any water, but generally with-
in a short distance of some stream or pond.
They are composed of a large mass of sticks (of
all sizes), twigs, brush and rubbish heaped to-
gether, regardless of external appearance, and
lined with sea-weed, twigs, cedar bark, eel grass,
corn-stalks and other materials, the whole form-
ing an immense structure ranging from four to
six feet high and as many across the top, on which
one can safely seat himself and pack the contents
at his leisure, — said top having been reached.
These immense structures are added to in the fall
of each year for the purpose of strengthening
them so as to withstand the winter storms, and

are repaired on the return of the birds in the
spring. This necessarily increases their size each
year and serves as a good indication of their age.
Various trees are selected for building purposes —
walnut, oak, chestnut, locust, elm, buttonwood,
pine and others — no partiality seems to be shown
on this score, the main object being to place the
nests out of reach, and it is quite successfully car-
ried out, too, for it takes an expert climber to
ascend to half of the nests in the colony. Some
are actually impossible to be reached, while others
overhang to such an extent that it would only be
risking life and limb to attempt to get them. The
height at which the nests are placed varies con-
siderably, according to location; from twenty to
eighty feet would cover those in the northern sec-
tion of the colony. Those in open situations were,
as a rule, placed the highest from the ground, and
were as well the most difficult to reach; while
the contrary has been observed where the nests
were placed in unfrequented or secluded swamps.
These nests are very deceptive in appearance,
even when viewed from a near standpoint, but by
climbing up to the structures one can form a very
good idea of their size. The nest having been
reached — the easiest part of the journey — the
question arises how to reach or get over into it,
which is the most difficult part of the job, especial-
ly when the climber is fifty or more feet from the
ground, near the top of a dead tree that shakes
with every prod of the spurs.

The Ospreys are welcomed on their return in
the spring and protected by the farmers, to whom
they have proved beneficial in more ways than
one. They hunt over their pastures for field
mice, frogs, toads find snakes, and protect the
farm-yard from the onslaughts of the other Rap-
tores, when their nest is placed near by. These
birds are erratic in their movements when con-
tinually disturbed, frequently leaving their homes
and re-building at some distance, and often in an-
other colony. We had now reached the colony,
which is spread over a large territory and contains
no less than two hundred nests, and it still lacked
an hour of daylight, but we entered a large pas-
ture and crossed to a large spreading chestnut
tree which has held an immense nest for several
years. All was still. The tree was rapped smart-
ly with a stout stick but no response from the
nest, neither could we make out the form of a.
bird in it. This we were not very much sur-
prised at, for it is difficult to cause them to leave
their nests during the night. It held a set of two
eggs on May 8, 1885, so heavily marked with
dark brown as to conceal the ground color, but
from appearances was deserted this season. Soon
the gray of dawn appeared in the east and the

nest loomed up on all sides, and when inhabited
the heads of the sitting birds could always be seen
at some distance rising above the centre of the
nest like the knob on a Tam O’Shanter cap.
Ospreys were soaring in graceful circles overhead
at various heights scanning with watchful eyes
the river below, while others were shaping their
course to and from their hunting grounds; at such
times flying with a steady flapping of the wings
and an occasional sail. Frequently we saw the
birds plunge headlong from a dizzy height on
their prey, striking the water with a heavy splash
and throwing the spray in all directions. Only a
few seconds elapse before the bird rises, clutching
her quarry in her talons, and either carries it to
her mate or some favorite perch where it enjoys
the feast alone. They invariably carry their food
in their talons, parallel with the body, the right
foot a trifle in advance of the other. They also
preserve the same rule in carrying large sticks to
their nests when building, (so as to cut the wind
and not be a hindrance to their flight,) and may
be often seen flying with sticks extending far out
in the rear.

A nest placed forty feet up in a tall locust in
the rear of a farm-house could have been easily
reached but for the following inscription placed
on a board fastened to the tree : “ Beware ; no
tresspassing on these premises.” Wa followed a
cart path for some distance along the edge of a
swamp, which we soon entered and made our
way as best we could through the dense growth of
briars and saplings to the foot of a large leaning
ash. The parent bird arose from the nest as we
drew near, uttering its note of alarm, and flew
around overhead. The nest was placed forty feet
from the ground and was reached by ascending
on the upper side of the trunk, which was none too
steady. It contained two very dark colored eggs,
the same number and shade of color as laid the
two previous years in the large chestnut tree in
the open field just spoken of. This set was packed
in a “ patent box ” prepared for the purpose, and
let down to the ground and repacked in a separate
box by 3.80 a. m. This was a new nest and built
and inhabited by the same pair who formerly held
possession of the chestnut. We retraced our steps
and crossed ploughed land to a large oak, which
held a clean, well built nest, saddled to a horizon-
tal limb ten feet from the trunk. This was reached
by C. H. A., who brought the set of two small
eggs down in his felt hat. These differed so
greatly in coloration that unless we had circum-
stantial evidence w T e would hardly have believed
that they could have been laid by the same bird.
Several nests could'be seen from one position but,

they were in very difficult situations, and only
one was reached, which was in a tall leaning elm,
out some distance in a marsh. Rubber bools were
put on, and with climbers, rope and boots dang-
ling over my shoulders I started out. On reach-
ing the tree, boots were changed, climbers fastened
on and the ascent made. Though the upright
crotch in which the nest was placed was reached
in a few moments, it was nearly an hour before
the set of two large handsome eggs found their
way into my box. The eggs were the largest we
had ever collected, and were well along in incu-
bation. It was a noticeable fact that those eggs
in sets of two were as a rule larger and farther
advanced in incubation than those with three. It
is very rarely that four eggs are found in one nest.
My friend has only two sets of four eggs to show
out of two hundred sets examined of a smaller
number from this colony. A tall shaky chestnut
stub towered several feet above the surrounding
woods and attracted our attention from the very
fact that it contained a nest, around which we saw
the birds hovering when we were a quarter of a
mile away. This was a treacherous old tree, but
after some expert climbing the nest was reached
by our friend, but found to hold but one egg,
which was heavily blotched and splashed with
dark brown, completely concealing the impure
white ground color around the crown. As we
were leaving this nest the Ospreys were seen
carrying materials to the nest in the elm, repairing
the damage done there necessary to obtain a foot
hold. We then directed our steps to a large
swamp surrounded by hills and hardwood groves
which were fairly alive with our earlier Warblers.
As we appeared from under cover of the woods
an Osprey, sitting on a large nest in a buttonwood
tree on the opposite edge of the swamp, discovered
us, and rose flapping its wings and whistling
loudly, accompanied by its mate, who was equally
concerned. This nest was about forty-five feet
from the ground, and placed on top of the partially
dead trunk. It contained but one large egg on
May 12, 1884. Hunting over the same ground in
’85, we ascended to the nest and found it held one
large egg of abnormal proportions on May 8th.
We were surprised to find two eggs as the com-
plement this season. These were of the same
shade of color as those taken in our previous visits
and we have found that they do not differ ma-
terially in the same individuals from year to year..
Some sympathizing companions joined in with
this pair and made considerable disturbance, but
none ventured to attack us. We found that
several nests that we procured sets from in our
former trips had been prostrated by the winter
storms. Crossing a small stream we walked some

ktupu. lOOU.J

distance down the opposite side along the brow of
a hill and came to a large wild cherry tree situated
between the hill and swamp, where carefully but
firmly balanced on the topmost branches was a
well made nest. This was a very difficult place to
get the eggs from, for they were fully three feet
from the edge of the nest, which was overhang-
ing and very large, but finally we succeeded in
getting the set of three eggs into a stocking and
brought them safely down. The same old rail
was propped up under the nest, that aided us in
our previous climbs, and was the means of our
getting to the nest this season. A short distance
away there was another nest placed in a very large
elm several feet in diameter, and.without a limb
for thirty feet. Our long coil of rope now came
in play and it did not take long to rig a boatswain’s
sling, in which we. hauled our friend to the first
limb, thence to another several feet higher, where
he fastened himself to a large limb above, leaving
slack rope enough to reach the nest, which was
out several feet from the trunk on a horizontal
limb at a great height from the ground. This was
reached, and after tearing away a large mass of
sticks hanging loosely from the nest, he was en-
abled to get over into it and pack the three eggs
which it contained. lie was let down slowly
from his high perch, and after taking our lunch
and a refreshing rest near a spring, we continued
our walk along through pine groves for some dis-
tance, until we reached open fields once more,
which were skirted until a large chestnut tree was
reached. An attempt was made in ’85 to ascend
to the nest, placed seventy feet from the ground,
but proved useless. Having a coil of rope with us
now, we are supplied with the necessary means of
reaching it. It was the most difficult one we had
yet attempted, but rigging a boatswain’s sling our
friend seated himsell in it, and was hauled up to
the limit of the rope. Then resting a few moments
he cast the rope over a' large limb twenty feet
higher and fastened it. Then by the aid of rope
and scientific shinning he mounted to the nest and
worked himself over into it. This occupied nearly
an hour, but the climber generally feels amply re-
paid to find a handsome set of three eggs, even if
it takes two hours to reach a nest. Packing the
three eggs he let them down by aid of a stout cord
and then descended slowly by aid of the rope to
the grouud. Clouds were forming, and the wind
increasing, and it looked decidedly like rain. Re-
packing our eggs, we made notes, and left for a
distant part of the colony, where we knew of
several accessible nests, but before we reached the
main road it commenced to rain heavily, and our
“ waterproof ” hunting coats were soon soaked

through. There was nothing for us to do then
but to tramp home, for it was not safe to climb
wet trees, and it would not do to get any farther
south if we wanted to get home that night. W e
know of one nest placed on the top of a large dead
pine in dry woods a mile or more from water that
we could visit by making a slight detour.

After walking several miles we entered the
woods and soon saw it through an opening. The
bird arose from the nest as we drew near, and
whistled loudly overhead, accompanied by its
mate, which had been perched near the nest
pruning its feathers. Ascending to the structure on
the opposite side to that taken last year, we found
it was reached much easier, but it was a rotten
old hulk of a tree, and trembled considerably when
ascended. We found it held a set of three,—
same number as last year, but differing greatly in
size and coloration. Those laid in ’85 were longer
and not so heavily blotched, being evenly dis-
tributed over the surface, and of a lighter shade
of brown, while the three taken this year were
very round and heavily splashed on the crown
with very dark chocolate, and on one of the eggs
the markings are confined to the larger end, the
remaining portion being dirty white, resembling
many Red-shouldered Hawk’s eggs that I have
seen. These packed we prepared for a five hours’
hard tramp, for Le were yet sixteen miles from
our friend’s house. Just about dusk we met a
friend with a horse and wagon who was going our
way and who very kindly carried us to the house,
which was reached shortly after 8 p. m. , soaked
and chilled through, but after a change of
clothes we sat down to a hot supper. Then it
was pleasant to talk over the day’s work, laugh
and joke at some of the experiences we had had,
and think that we had added another pleasant
trip to the list, with still another to look forward
to. Let not the reader suppose that the sets
above recorded were all that we secured, but be-
ing typical “climbs,” it would be a needless waste

of sp^e jg S ^%pU^ r/3r-73S-

Large Sets of Eggs.

Mr.' F. L. Farley, of St. Thomas,' Ontario, re-
ports finding, in 1885, twenty-one eggs of the
Great Crested Flycatcher (Mytarclius ermitus,) in
a single nest, -in a hole in an apple tree. The
eggs were of five different' sizes and he thinks that
several females must have deposited them.

A somewhat similar ease was the finding of
seven eggs of rife Chipping Sparrow ( Spizella
domestica), in one nest last summer. It is very
unlikely that one female laid them all— /. P. N.

Note on the Nesting of the Fish-Hawk in Maine. — I found the
nest of a Fish-Hawk ( Pandion haliaetus) some years ago on the point of a
rock which at high tide was separated from the main ledge and projected
but a few feet above the water. It was composed entirely of kelp and
sea-weed. A young one was sitting on the edge of the nest, but was able
to fly. The next year I found one on a high island, destitute of trees,
built on the ground between three small stumps. This contained two
two large young ones, which the old birds were feeding. Two years ago
I saw a pair building a nest on the top of a tall derrick, to which were
attached four chains by which it was supported ; these chains helped to
sustain the nest.

Where the trees have been cut away or otherwise destroyed along the
coast, I think it is becoming quite common for the Fish-Hawks to nest on
the ground. I have noticed that their nests are also becoming more com-
mon around our inland lakes. Last fall I saw six nests on Machias Lake
where two years ago there was none. — Manly Hardy, Brewer, Me.

Bnll,N.O.O. 5, July, 1880, p. / (o .

‘ General Notes.

V i -

The Canada Goose and Osprey laying in the same Nest. — Mr. Charles
de B. Green, who spends a good deal of his spare time in making collec-
tions for the Museum, writes me from Kettle River, Okanagan District,
British Columbia, to the effect that while climbing to an Osprey’s nest
he was surprised to find his actions resented by not only the Ospreys but
also by a pair of Canada Geese ( Branta canadensis'), the latter birds
making quite a fuss all the time Mr. Green was in the tree. On reaching
the nest he was still further surprised to find two Osprey eggs and three
of the Canada Goose. He took the two Osprey’s eggs and two of the
Geese eggs.

This was on the first of May. On the 12th of May he returned and
found the Osprey setting on the Goose egg; the geese were nowhere in
sight. Mr. Green took the remaining egg and sent the lot to the
Museu m.

I am aware that it is not unusual for the Canada Goose to nest in
trees but for two birds with such strangely opposite habits as the ones
above quoted to enter into partnership in the matter of rearing a family
is in my experience somewhat strange.

I may mention in this connection that in the Okanagan District,
especially along the valleys of the Kettle and Similkameen Rivers,
Canada Geese are particularly noted for nesting in trees, and as these
valleys are subject to sudden inundation during early spring, this fact
may have something to do with it. — John Fannin, Provincial Museu?n ,
Victoria, B. C.

Auk XI. Oct. 1894 p. 322

Fish Hawk’s Eggs. Large set. Chas.

C. Richards, Norwich, Conn., took a set of
four Fish Hawk’s eggs from one of the
rocks on the west side of Plum Island,

May 20, 1883.

O. & O. VIII. Sept. 1883 , p, (>y

*VrU*, d/ J***h., d ■ ,

H. A. J P t

O.&O. lX.May.1884. p. ri'-

Fish Hawk, (’ Pandion halicetus caroli-
nensis.) Abundant during the fishing
season. The nest of this bird resembles
more an Eagle’s abode, as it is a huge,
bulky affair, made of earth, limbs, sea-
weed, etc. The eggs, usually three, are
sometimes very beautiful ; a dark brown
or chocolate on a buff ground.

In May 9tli, 1879, my friend Mr. Daniel
Duncan, of Vinal Haven, Me., collected
for me at tha t place a nest containing four
fresh eggs the same time he collected
and sent me a large number of the eggs of
this species, and as this set was unusually
large, I made inquiries of him regarding
it, whereupon he assured me that they were
taken from one nest.

This season I spent a week in that local-
ity, collecting— with Mr. D’s assistance— a
large number of sets of the Fish Haw k
were taken, and in order if possible to fur-
nish me with additional proof as to the set
sent me in ’79, for I think he was of the
opinion that I was still a little doubtful re-
garding it. Mr. D. took me to the same
nest from which he had collected four
eggs, and much to the surprise of us both,
it this season contained the same number.

Mr. D. also informed us that some time
ago a gentleman from Mass., spent two sea-
sons collecting in that vicinity and al-
though he took a large number of eggs of
the Fish Hawk, he took no nest contain-
ing more than three. — N. A. Eddy , Ban -
gor, Me.

[Three is the number of eggs laid by the Fish Hawk, two
and four the exception. In a series of forty-five eggs taken
by us this Spring, in every case the full set was three. We
never saw but one set of four eggs and that was in the col-
lection of Messrs. Southwick & Jencks. Knowing that M.
B. Grilling, had as large experience as any one collecting
these eggs, we dropped a line to hint and received the fol-
lowing reply : “ In four year’s collecting Mr. W. W. W. and
myself have taken ten sets of Fish Hawks containing
four eggs each. Capt. B. F. Goss has two of these sets,
W. E. Saunders, one, S. F. Kathbun, one, one set W. sent
to England, one set I broke. I now have three on hand and
I W. has two. Three is the rule for a set, however, and four
! the exception.”

O.&O. Vll. Oct. 1382. p. /6>.

THE AUK:

A QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF

ORNITHOLOGY.

vol. ix. October, 1892. No. 4.

BREEDING HABITS OF THE FISH HAWK ON
PLUM ISLAND, NEW YORK.

BY CHARLES SLOVER ALLEN.

( With Plates IV and V.)

Even the wildest and most independent of our feathered friends
rarely fail to show a proper appreciation of our demonstrations
of kindness and good-will toward them. Wherever thorough
protection is afforded to both them and their young during the
breeding season their confidence in our good intentions is simply
wonderful, and we are trusted as soon as we have conclusively
shown ourselves to be worthy of their confidence. They quickly
learn when and where safety is to be found and whom to trust or
fear. The German Stork is exceedingly wild and cautious in the
fields, woods, and along the river marshes, yet confidently builds
its nest upon the housetops and churches in the villages and towns ,
and often struts about the dooryards. In Germany it has taken
centuries to bring about this result ; but I know of an island, less
than one hundred miles from New Yorl* where Fish Hawks, prior
to 1SS5, had been protected for over thirty years, and where they
were almost as tame as the German Storks. In this year Plum
Island (the island in question) was sold to a syndicate who
planned the construction of large hotels and cottages ; since then
all has completely changed. For about forty years Plum Island
had belonged to the Jerome family, and the Fish Hawks had been
protected and in every way encouraged to occupy the island as a
nesting place.

31

The Fish Hawk colony on Palmer River
number about forty nests. After visiting
nearly half of them I got a set of four
from the same nest which yielded a like
number in ’82.

I have ascended to their nests in July
and found three nearly fledged young sit-
ting on an extended platform of sticks, and
also three eggs in the nest proper.

That the Osprey repairs or adds to his
nest in autumn is a fact, one pair building
a nest in the month of September on a
crotch higher up on the same tree with the
old nest, to avoid the persecution of boys.
They occupied this nest the next spring,
but unfortunately they had trusted their
hopes to a slender foundation, and a sum-
mer gale hurled it to the ground with two
young. They repaired the old nest before
leaving in the fall, and this spring’s return
brought the same pair to their old home —

; F. II c.

IX . /tr*/.

. captores, Bristol County, Mass.
Hilton B. Read. *

Osprey, (Pandion haliaetus carolinensis) . An

abundant summer visitor. Breeds in the south-
ern portions of this county, there being in the
vicinity of Palmer's river quite a colony of
them, occupying the adjoining swamps, though
many of them build near the houses.

They arrive here about the last of March and
resort to their old nests. By the tenth of May
they have laid their full set of eggs, which
usually consists of three, thought sometimes
two, and in a few rare instances four are found.

Their eggs are handsome and, (as is the case
with all colored eggs), vary in appearance,
from deep chocolate and umber, to a light
brown and dirty grey.

As they use the same nest for successive
seasons, adding to it every year, it forms a
conspicuous feature in the landscape after the
foliage has disappeared.

O.&O. XII. Aug. 1887 p.118

New Eng. Raptores. Number Eggsin
as«t. F. H. Carpenter.

Ospi ey , ( Pandion huliaetus carolinensis ') ,

7 sets of 1

47 “ 2

236 “ “ 3

4 “ “4

O.&o. XII. Oct. 1887 P.108

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.A Peculiar Character Referable to the Base of the Skull in Pandion. —
As is well known, in all ordinary birds the anterior orifice or orifices of

the eustachian tubes open, mesially, at the nether aspect of the base of
the sphenoidal rostrum, just in front of the basitemporal region. This
common or double aperture is often underlapped by a lip of bone, while
the walls of the tubes themselves are usually completely ossified. Now
in some Accipitres these walls, anteriorly, are not completed in bone, but
in the dried skull exhibit more or less of an open tract. Pandion is re-
markable in having the anterior openings of its eustachian tubes entirely
closed , and it will be interesting to know whether this at all modifies the
sense of hearing in this bird. The character is present in three different
skulls of adult specimens that I have examined, so it is presumably con-
stant, and, at the present writing, so far as I am aware it stands unique
among birds.

Since writing the above paragraph, Mr. F. A. Lucas, of the U. S.
National Museum, has very kindly sent me the head of a recently killed
specimen of Pandion , and I have had the opportunity of dissecting it
while the parts were perfectly fresh. They confirm what I have written
above, inasmuch as the anterior aperture or apertures of the eustachian
tubes do not open in the middle line of the cranium above the anterior
spine of the basitemporal. But the osseous antero-lateral walls of the
passages in question are patulous, at some distance, upon either side,
from the median line, and the fleshy parts of the eustachian tubes commu-
nicate therewith. By means of a fine bristle, I found either passage com-
municated, as usual, with the middle ear, and so there can be no question
as to the functional status of those organs in the Osprey. The external
auricular cavities, however, are small, and in either one I found a loose
plug of some size, of a substance that had the appearance of a blackish
wax, and this is sometimes seen in other large birds. — R. W. Shufeldt,

Takoma , D. C. j^UXkl,

Auk, 8, April, 1391, p,

1AY

f ; ,
/

The Tables Turned.

We have doubtless, all of us, heard the oft-
repeated tale of the Ea"le robbing the Osprey
of his hard-earned meal, but it has never come
to my notice that the national bird of our
country was in turn despoiled by the Osprey.

During a conversation with Mr. W. F. Au-
bens of this city, he alluded to this fact and re-
lated the story to me.

In his boyhood days, some twenty-five years
ago, in the town of West Bath, Me., there was
an immense pine, which for years held the nest
of a pair of Eagles, and as it stood in a clear-
ing, the birds could not be approached without
being disturbed, and so enjoyed their home in
peace, in spite of the gunners.

One day, while standing in the door of his
father’s house, he was a witness to a battle be-
tween this pair of Eagles and four Ospreys,
who, as developments proved, envied the birds
their home and desired to appropriate it to
their own uses.

It seemed to be a preconcerted affair, as
each Eagle was assailed by two Ospreys, and
the attack well managed, as one assailant Q;
would pounce upon the larger fowl, quickly (i.
followed by the other, as if they understood
the theory of successive flank attacks. The
battle continued until the Eagles were driven
from the field, and the smaller birds then pro-
ceeded to take possession of the tree. §

Their victory was short-lived, however, as a '
stronger enemy, in the shape of the farmer,
who owned the tree, and who was angry at the ^
defeat of his pets, the Eagles, appeared upon \
the scene, and cut down the old monarch of
the forest, that the Ospreys might realize no h
benefit. ^

This pair of Eagles went to another tree, not
far distant, and built another nest, but it was
situated in the woods near the highway, and
the gunners from the city could creep up
through the underbrush and pop at them witli j
their rifles, which finally drove the birds away
to more secure places of peace and quiet.

/fO

The Osprey and its Prey.

The Flight of the Osprey.

BY FREDERIC H. CARPENTER.

To perform certain movements, not neces-
sary to the work of simple existence, seems to
be the function of all orders of animal life.
We look for such display of physical powers
with a theory of its variation, according to the
development of the animate creation in which
it exists. In quadrupeds and birds, size seems
to be regarded when classifying such as in-
dulge their playful propensities from their less
active fellows. We look for more graceful
movements in the agile squirrel than in the
huge elephant, with varying degrees in inter-
mediate proportions, and we expect to see the
gaudy oriole flit about in pure ecstacy, but
hardly the slow flapping heron. Certain
conditions of procuring of food, or mating, may
cause, at various times, nearly every known
species to perform sundry aerial evolutions not
consistent with its regular habit, but the reason
from -cause to effect is so apparent as to excite
naught but admiration of the wondrous power
of flight displayed.

Of all our orders of birds, none seem more
prosaic than the Baptores. Even the quick-
winged Accipitre, is only bent on foraging when
he dashes swiftly in and oijt before us, and
certainly no one would accuse the lazy Buteo
of deviating from his business-like method of
procuring his daily food. It will seem, then,
the more interesting, as an oddity of nature,
when we select from this order of birds, a
species which displays this playfulness, when
on wing, to a maximum.

Latter March in JSTew England is but a step
removed from stern Winter’s rigorous sway.

The beams of the sun, now drawing nearer,
have scarcely tempered the rivers and bays
from their icy chill. Expectant, impatient
fishermen are awaiting that avian signal which
shall proclaim to them that the time has come
for them to eke their substance from the com-
ing schools of herring as they return to their
spawning grounds. The experience of former
years is again renewed when the flute-like
whistle of the Osprey is heard, but not alone,
it is almost a chorus, and the eye can detect
them soaring high above their old retreats.
Even at this entre to their sojourn with us,
their manner of flight strikes us as far differ-
ent from other preying birds, as they swing
about in graceful circles and eliptics in pleas-
ing sociality. They are not seeking their finny
prey, nor have the affairs of nesting begun, yet
they are at times almost hilarious in their dem-
onstrative flight.

Again, a little later, when repairing their
huge domiciles, I have seen them drop a stick
purposely, and swooping down catch it again,
for all the world like a gigantic swallow with
a proportionate straw. Nothing but pure fun,
as conceived in an Osprey’s cranium, can pro-
mote such mid-air antics. A curious perform-
ance has been witnessed on several occasions
on a fresh-water pond not far from their nest-
ing colony. A number of Ospreys were seen
to alight on the surface of the pond and buoy-
ing themselves afloat by means of wide-spread
wings, would remain for a few moments in that
position, then slowly rising would shake the
water from their feathers and resume the usual
fishing flight. No motive could be ascertained
for this curious action, and it can but be placed
on the same catalogue as the other erratic
habits of this truly eccentric bird. A very
striking and often noticed feat of the Osprey
is its repeated soaring and pitching alternately.
One may be seen flying at a certain height,
when suddenly by a few rapid motions of its
wings it will ascend to a higher plane, and
then with set wings drop quickly to its former
altitude. I have witnessed on one occasion one
of these birds repeat this performance thirty-
seven consecutive times within nine minutes.
This tumbling is done at all seasons, and like
its other remarkable feats can not be attributed
to any cause, as far as my observation, cover-
ing over a score of years, can detect.

Individual characteristics have been frequent-
ly observed in the colony, but the foregoing
traits are very pronounced, collectively, on the
entire population.

All large birds are more moderate in action

We were sitting upon the piazza facing
south, about 3 o’clock in the afternoon.
The river runs past the house at about
eighty yards distance. Suddenly I heard
a wild scream of exultation. I thought it
was an eagle, but, looking up, there over
the river was a flock of crows who were
n.t+.pnrh-no* n. onnvp.ntinn in a, neirdiborino -

>ck I
ghed
n his
s, he
aring

AND OCe dis-

ith a

Aug. 1887.]

than those of smaller structure, and seldom lprev
do we see them in any flight than that which F
is necessary to their sober duties of life. There- j’ . 6
fore it is the more remarkable when this species, hird,
one of the largest of our Baptores , presents it- °wer-
self to our notice in the role of a comedian, ielers
We do not criticise it. Would there was more ecog-
of it in a world of too much tragedy. And L
what more stately or better formed bird than f 6
the Osprey to enact it. isten-

Q.&C> < XII. Aug. 1887 D. IIO-I&I. f as a

grand sight ! I think the Osprey was a
female — it being too large, it seemed, for a
male, for, as you well know, “the mare is
the best horse,” “ the wife wears the
breeches,” in this case — the female being
the more powerful and beautiful bird in
the raptores generally. — Rev. J. Bachman
Haskell , White Hall. S.

1. May. 15, 1882. p. IZ3

The Osprey and its Prey.

The beams of the sun, now drawing nearer,
have scarcely tempered the rivers and bays
from their icy chill. Expectant, impatient
fishermen are awaiting that avian signal which
shall proclaim to them that the time has come
for them to eke their substance from the com-
ing schools of herring as they return to then-
spawning grounds. The experience of former
years is again renewed when the flute-like
whistle of the Osprey is heard, but not alone,

it is almost a chorus, and the eve can detect
them s>

Even al
their nn
ent fror
about in
ing socit

knowloOLOGIST

the sea!

[Yol. 12-No. 8

r ihe l p ro babl e Occurrence of the Ivory -
eomplei ,

the two billed Woodpecker on Pritchard s

found t
The (
large ei
color,- v
of brovt
tinged
trasts
before

Island, South Carolina.

BY WALTER HOXIE, FROGMORE, S. C.

While talking recently with one of the most
successful and intelligent of our native hunt-
ers, he mentioned having seen last winter on

similar Jolifr$tion orfesembfc’eiicl/'otlTei-, oven
eggs from the, same sets,. contrast more strong-
ly than those 'from different clutches. This
variation is as perceivable in the eggs of the
Red-tail, as those Vf the present species. They
usually resort to large woods, and place the
nest in a crotch of some tall tree, of good
sized diameter of trunk, and often occupy the
nest for successive seasons ; even when persist-
ently harriedyby the collector they will return
and build Ip the immediate vicinity, as has
been the case with a pair from which I have
secured clutches every spring since ’78; they
resorting, to the same grove', for nidification,
building a new nest each season.

Broad-winged Hawk, ( Buteo pqnnsylvanicus.)

Onfy one instance of its capture in this coun-
ty : Acushuet, April T2, ’82, (Brown). It has
been recorded as breeding in this , section of
Hew England. ,

Rough-legged Hawk, ( Archibuteo lagopus
sancti-johannis .) Another rare occurrence of
this species is noted, viz., Attleboro’ Starch,

’81, (Reid), and is the only record of its 'cap-
ture within our limits.

Bald Eagle, ( Hallimatus leucocephalus. This
the largest of our raptores, occurs so rarely, as

We were sitting upon the piazza facing
south, about 3 o’clock in the afternoon.

The river runs past the house at about
eighty yards distance. Suddenly I heard
a wild scream of exultation. I thought it
was an eagle, but, looking up, there over
the river was a flock of crows who were
attending a convention in a neighboring
grove. Passing through this noisy flock I
saw, rising heavily, a large bird weighed
down by something which he bore in his
talons. After rising above the crows, he
passed directly over our heads, bearing
away across the rice fields towards the dis-
tant wood. Then I recognized, with a
shout of satisfaction, a magnificent Osprey,
bearing in his grasp a giant cat fish, the
fish appearing even longer than the bird,
and it was a hard tug for even her power-
ful wings. I could plainly see the feelers
projecting from the cat’s jaws, and recog-
nized the shape of his head — while the
plumage of the beautiful bird was glisten-
ing plainly in the sunlight. It was a
grand sight-! I think the Osprey was a
female — it being too large, it seemed, for a
male, for, as you well know, “the mare is
the best horse,” “ the wife wears the
breeches,” in this case — the female being
the more powerful and beautiful bird in
the raptores generally. — Rev. J. Bachman

Haskell, White Hall. S. C. _ „

Q.& Q. Vli .May.15. 1882. p. Hi