TEE OOLOGIST. 



51 



NESxrNG OF Buteo pennsylvaniacus in a 

 Hemlock Tkek. — Ou the 29th of April, 

 1878, 1 found the nest of this bird in a small 

 hemlock tree, and as it was the only nest 

 of a Buteo I had ever found in a hemlock, 

 I thought it worthy of notice. The cir- 

 cumstances were as follows : On the 18tli 

 of Ajjril, whilst out collecting birds I dis- 

 covered the nest in a wof)ds about six miles 

 from this city. Seeing the nest in a hem- 

 lock, I was somewhat ;it a loss to classify 

 it. although 1 saw the Hawks flying near 

 there. 1 had never in the course of my ex- 

 perience, covering a period of about seven 

 years, found a Buteo' s nest in a hemlock. 

 As there were no eggs in the nest, and it 

 liad the appearance of being a new one, I 

 left it for a futm-e visit, and on the 29th, I 

 went again to get the eggs and decide its 

 identity. The nest of this genus is usually 

 ))lace(l in the fork of a large hardwood tree, 

 and exposed to the view, usually iu rather 

 an open grove, easily found, but robbed 

 with dithculty. This, however, proved an 

 exce})tion to the rule. It was probably an 

 old Crow's nest repaired, situated not more 

 than fifteen feet from the ground, and as 

 before stated, placed in a small hemlock, 

 overshadowed by two exceptionally large 

 trees of the same variety, in the densest 

 ])art of a rather thick, low woods, and this 

 too not from necessity, for about half a 

 mile off there was a flue grove of large, 

 hard-wood trees. The nest when last vis- 

 ited, c(}iitained three beautifully marked 

 eggs, which are now iu my collection^ 



Fked. J. Davis. 



Oological Notes for February. 



Dk. Brewer, in collating evidence of the 

 nesting of the Butciier Bird (^(Jollxriu hu- 

 realis) in the United States, has uuulc 

 some interesting discoveries, which are of 

 importance as bearing upon the eastern dis- 

 tribution of the N. A. Laniidxe. Collurio 

 Ixdoviciarnts, previously known to be a bird 

 of rather southern and southwestern habi- 



tat, has been found nesting in Bangor, Me. 

 This instance, with one or two others oc- 

 curring in New England, is positive ev- 

 idence that this species occurs and breeds 

 in J^astern N. A. In addition to these 

 discoveries, it seems probable that excu- 

 hitoroidcH, or a form between this species 

 and borecdis is also found in the Middle and 

 New P^ngland States. It is also probable 

 that an intergradiiig between the last men- 

 tioned species and either the Loggerhead or 

 Whitc-rumped, occurs here, which would 

 rather complicate the evidence sought foi-. 

 The Butcher Bii-d nests in New York, as 

 has been, and will be further proven the 

 coming spring ; but there is a possibility of 

 its bearing occasionally n faint tinge of one 

 or the other above mentioned species. 

 Since it is of importance tiuit all the facts 

 concerning the nesting of this or either of 

 the other species of Collurio be taken note 

 of, it will be well for collectors possessing 

 specimens and eggs taken east of Ohio and 

 noi'th of Pennsylvania to put themselves in 

 correspondence with Dr. Brewer. 



Collectors may commence to look for 

 early nests during the latter part of this 

 and all of next month. The Ilorned Lark 

 will be found breeding during the middle or 

 latter part of March ; Hawks the flrst of 

 April. The White-headed Eagle nests iu 

 March and April, as do also the Ruffed 

 Grouse and Woodcock. The Canada Jay 

 and Crossbill nest in January, February 

 and March. 



Love of locality and company during 

 the nesting season are shown to be quite 

 prominent traits in the Robin. There is 

 a sniall grove of two or three acres upon 

 the suburbs of the city, which hits been ap- 

 propriately termed " Robinvillc," from the 

 uund^er of nests of this bird tbuiul there. 

 All is harmony among this colony, and in 

 some instances there are several nests in a 

 single tree. Sixteen nests, within reach 

 from the ground, contained eggs, each set 

 for the most part consisting of four eggs. 

 A number of other species nested in the 

 grove, and all contributed toward the gen- 

 eral harmony of the scene. 



