300 



THE OOLOGIST. 



An abundance of some particular 

 food often detains certain birds in the 

 locality whereat occurs, but in general 

 the movements of the feathered tribe 

 are influenced by heat and cold, and 

 I think facts will support my thory that 

 the sun is the guide of the migratory 

 birds in the great spring and autumn 

 movements. 



The ingress of cold air with a wind 

 from the north, and the influx of warm 

 currents with southern breezes may 

 teach the birds something, also change 

 of folige, and old experienced birds 

 may assist their youngar companions 

 in migrating, but these are but minor 

 influences, in comparison with that 

 potent force exerted by our great cen- 

 tral luminary. 



Sharp-shinned Hawk. 



Of the sworn enemies to the farmer, 

 among this class of birds one of the 

 most prominent is the Sharp-shined 

 Hawk [Aecipiter velox). It's distribu- 

 tion may be said to generally corres- 

 pond to that of it's victim, the farmer, 

 and in spite of all the persecution he 

 endeavors to heap upon it the little 

 Hawk continues to prosper and multi- 

 ply, and is found distributed all over 

 the United States, the British provin- 

 ces, and is said to have even reached 

 the icy regions of the Artie circle. 



The food of tjie Sharp-shinned Hawk 

 consists mainly of small birds which it 

 tlevours in large numbers, including 

 the English Sparrow, certainly a re- 

 deeming trait for the Hawk. 



This Hawk begins to nest in this loc- 

 ality about the middle of May, gener- 

 ally selecting as a building site some 

 one of our coniferous trees, such as 

 hemlock or cedar. It has also been 

 claimed that this species will occasion- 

 ally nidificate on rocks and in the cava- 

 ties of trees. 



The first set of eggs of the Sharp- 

 shined Hawk that I ever oljtained was 



during the season of 1889 in Chester 

 county. Pa. A friend and myself had 

 long searched for a set of eggs of this 

 bird but our efforts diad always been in 

 vain, until one day I was able to an- 

 nounce to him that I had found a pair 

 of Sharp-shinned Hawks building, he de- 

 clared that I was mistaken "it was some 

 other bird," he said "probably a Coop- 

 er's Hawk." However, I paid occas- 

 ional visit- to the locality, watched the 

 birds and on May 23d, my friend ac- 

 companing me went to the place, lo.ial- 

 ly known as Cedar Woods, and olj- 

 tained a fine set of four eggs of the 

 Sharp-shinned Hawk. The nest was 

 placed in a cedar tree, about twenty 

 feet up, and comjjosed entirelj^ of small 

 twigs, with a 'slight depression on the 

 top to receive the eggs. 



Some writers assert that j leaves, grass, 

 moss, etc. enter into the composition of 

 the nest but such was not the case in 

 this one I found. Nests that I have since 

 seen were built in the manner of the 

 one above. 



The Sharp-shinjied Havk is quite 

 plentiful in Pennsylvania but can hard- 

 ly be called common as a breeding bird, 

 at least it is not so in this portion of 

 the State. 



I know of but three other sets having 

 been taken in Chester county, two sets 

 of five eggs each by Dr. Warren, State 

 Ornithologist, and one set of three eggs 

 l)y Mr. Thos. H. Jackson of West 

 Chester. W. E. Rotzell, M. D. 



Narberth, Pa. 



A Nest (Plum) Full. 



June 11, '93. — Collected four eggs of 

 Ainerican Goldfinch from nest in fork 

 of plum tree. As I did not think the 

 set was complete I substituted small 

 green plums for the eggs taken. 



June 13th. — Collected another egg 

 from Goldfinch nest making a set of 

 five. Fred H. Andkus, 



Elkton, Ore. 



