The Nesting of the Duck Hawk 163 



was on the nesting ledge. Both birds circled nearby, keep- 

 ing up their harsh, rasping call, somewhat like the alarm 

 " quaek " of a mallard hen, many times magnified. On 

 May 15th, after Mr. W. D. Richardson of Chicago, was 

 through photographing them, the one addled egg and two 

 newly hatched young (one of which had been crushed, prob- 

 ably by the parent) were collected, as well as the adult 

 male, the female being purposely spared in liopes slie would 

 again nest in the neighborhood. As is usually the case slie 

 was a great deal larger, and appeared to be somewhat 

 slower than her trim, equally handsome nmte. The fre- 

 quency witli which addled eggs occur and tlie mortality of 

 the young, seem to be important factors in preventing an 

 undue increase of this rapacious species. 



Assuming that incnbation had just begnn when tlie eggs 

 were found, A])ril 13th, they were incubated at least 

 thirty-one days. 



Remains of tlie following species of birds were found 

 from time to time on the nesting ledge, or in expelled pel- 

 lets beneath. Kingfisher (whole head), Domestic Pigeon, 

 Woodcock (hind quarters and bill), Meadowlark, Red- 

 winged Blackbird (numerous), Robin, Bronzed (Irackle, 

 Flicker and young chickens. 



On May ?>lst Mr. Albert Gastrow and the writer found 

 another pair nesting in a great cliff, appropriately named 

 Gibralter Rock, near the town of Okee, in Columbia 

 County, about seventeen miles as the crow flies from the 

 Sauk Count}^ locations. Situated in a rich fanning coun- 

 try, this im])ressi\e bluff rises over four hundred feet above 

 the marsli at its base. The south side has a sheer drop of 

 one hundred and twenty-five feet from the top, crowned 

 with a beautiful grove of pine and cedar, to the steep rock- 

 strewn slope below, wliich is covered with pine and de- 

 ciduous trees. Lake Wisconsin lays a mile tO' the north, 

 with bays cutting in still closer on the east and west, form- 

 ing the desirable combination of precipice and water. 



Here on a short ledge, protected by a shelving rock, 

 were three husky young Duck Hawks, nearly as heavy as 

 their parents, with wing and tail quills just appearing 



