158 BIRDS OF NOVA SCOTIA—DOWNS. 
Common. Summer. Flies very low and “comes up” sharp. 
Mr. John Bayers says that there is a great difference in the size 
of the eggs, females being hatched from much larger ones than 
the males. Breed on the ground in pasture land near Block- 
house (Standford’s) Pond. Food being scarce when they first 
arrive, they eat the Green Snake (C. vernalus). 
Genus ACCIPITER Brisson. 
Subgenus ACCIPITER. 
118. Accipiter velox (Wils.) (832). SHarp-suinnep Haws. 
This daring little hawk is a common summer resident. Breeds 
in the Province. One flew through a pane of glass to attack 
a cage of doves. Audubon mentions its hardihood in plunging 
headlong into a patch of briars to secure a bird. 
Subgenus AsturR Lacepede. 
119. Accipiter atricapillus (Wis.) (834). American Gos- 
HAWK. 
This handsome bird is the commonest hawk we have, and 
also, unfortunately, the most destructive. Found with us during 
the entire year. 
Genus Burgeo Cuvier. 
120. Buteo borealis (Gme.) (837). Rep-raILep Hawk. 
Not very common. I think it breeds here. One of these birds 
was taken by a soldier at the Ordnance Yard, while it was in 
the act of seizing a pet crow belonging to Mr. Pringle, Ordnance 
Store keeper. He came into my possession, and one day Mr. 
Livesey was looking at him and I told him that I had tried and 
condemned my specimen for attempted murder. Mr. Livesey re- 
marked that he had evidently made a bad use of his talents 
(talons). 
121. Buteo latissimus ( Wes.) (343). Broav-wincep Hawk. 
Very rare. One specimen was obtained in the market, Sep- 
tember, 1888, and I think Mr. W. Winton had another which he 
shot some years ago in Stewiacke. My bird, when opened, was 
found to contain a green snake and a grasshopper. 
