20 



JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Incidents in Bird Life. 



ARTHUR MERRILL. 



(concluded.) 

 I have seen the strongest curiosity, 

 though less of this confidence, displayed 

 by the Broad-winged Hawk, which is 

 perhaps, the least shy of the Hawks. In 

 August, 1891. while in the woods on the 

 east shore of Alamoosook Lake, Orland, 

 not far from the U. S. Fish Commission 

 Station, I heard a pair of these Hawks 

 crying, and turned aside to enter a small 

 glade hoping that I might see them. In 

 the glade stood a spreading beech tree, 

 with the top dead, but a few of the low- 

 er limbs still verdant. As I stepped 

 under this tree, the birds appeared, and 

 stooped with the evident intention of 

 alighting ; one, however, seeing me 

 soared up and away, but the other 

 alighted quite low down, just over my 

 head, and looked around intently for his 

 mate. Suddenly looking downward he 

 saw me, a sight that quite naturally 

 aroused his curiosity, and strangely 

 enough did not cause any emotion of 

 fear. Dropping down still lower, almost 

 within reach of my hand, he scrutinized 

 me closely, with every indication of ab- 

 sorbing intei'est. In a few moments he 

 flew away, calling loudly to his mate, 

 who soon returned with him, he to his 

 old position, she, evincing quite as much 

 interest, but less confidence, peered from 

 the shelter of the tree trunk, or some 

 convenient limb, assuming very gro- 

 tesque attitudes in her endeavors to see 

 me, while keeping herself concealed. 

 While watching, they uttered low cries 

 as if they were having an interchange of 

 opinion, then the female joined her mate 

 on the lower limbs, and they sat together 

 gazing alternately at me and at each 



other, sometimes changing their position 

 to get a different view, or with a start of 

 aft'right at something they deemed sus- 

 picious, but maintaining their position 

 with a fearlessness that I never before 

 witnessed in bird life, and so long that I 

 felt fatigue in maintaining my position. 

 They left with evident reluctance, re- 

 turning to the tree several times before 

 they finally soared away. The picture 

 they made, sitting so near on that low 

 limb, with their bright, eager eyes, alert, 

 graceful bodies, and trim plumage, will 

 be long remembered. 

 Wilkinsonville, Mass. 



[The above interesting paper well illus- 

 trates the familiarity of birds when their 

 curiosity is aroused. To the instances 

 given I can add another, which may be 

 of interest. The first of October, 1898, 

 was a bright day and the late flocks of 

 migrating Warblers were actively atwork 

 in the bushes. Yellow Palm and Myrtle 

 Warblers were especially numerous. In 

 a small opening amidst the bushes, I 

 lay full length upon the grass and 

 watched the passing birds. Soon a 

 Myrtle Warbler noticed me and flying to 

 the ground moved back and forth, pick- 

 up a bit of food occasionally, all the 

 while drawing nearer to me. I remain- 

 ed quiet and soon the bird hop[)ed upon 

 my shoe, ran up my leg and perched 

 upon mv arm. There, a few inches from 

 my face, it surveyed me deliberately, 

 once pecking at my coat sleeve. Then, 

 its curiosity satisfied, it flew to a neigh- 

 boring bush and resumed its place in the 

 passing throng. — Ed.] 



Errata. — In the last line in the first 

 column, page 4 of our last issue read, 

 North Lat. 47° 15 , instead of North 

 Lono-. 47° 15 . 



