76 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 



back and deep rufous on the breast, mixed with younger birds 

 of paler gray and palest rufous, and even some in the spotted 

 plumage of the lately fledged with vestiges of babyhood in 

 voice and action. 



Visitors. 

 SPARROW HAWK. Folco sparvenus. 



Although not a breeder in the Garden, the Sparrow Hawk 

 is. a fairly common visitor, coming over from the Female Hos- 

 pital, where it has made its home for many years. Since the 

 English House Sparrows have become so abundant. Sparrow 

 Hawks are permanent residents along the city Hmits, and 

 visit all the western parts of town on their foraging expedi- 

 tions. Forest Park, Washington University and University 

 City are some of their headquarters, and single individuals 

 or pairs may be seen there all the year round. Their visits 

 to Shaw's Garden are undoubtedly made in the interest of 

 their larder and do not mean any fondness for the beautiful 

 flowers. Mice and grasshoppers are the main attractions, 

 together with the freedom from persecution, which they do 

 not enjoy everywhere, since no boy in possession of a small 

 rifle can withstand the temptation to use the lovely crea- 

 ture for a target, when it alights on a telephone post in his 

 neighborhood. 



BELTED KINGFISHER. Ceryle oLcyon. 



The lake in the new part of the Garden, called the Synopsis 

 of North American flora, is a great attraction for different 

 kinds of birds at all seasons. In fall the Red-shouldered 

 Hawk likes to loaf along its banks, where he has ample oppor- 

 tunity for Nature study, as it is well known that he takes in- 

 terest in eleven classes of animals, mammals, birds, snakes, 

 frogs, fish, insects, centipedes, spiders, crawfish, earthworms 

 and snails. In migration time short calls are paid to the lake 

 by the Wood Tattler, the Green, Blue and Night Herons, the 

 Coot, Dabchick and several species of Ducks, among them a 

 pair of the rare Red-legged Black Mallard, Dec. 9, 1908. In 



