RANDOM NOTES ON NATURAL HISTORY. 



11 



cut yielded a goin of one-half carat. Two 

 pieces of blue j^lass, that had been rolled 

 so as to lose all form, were naturally 

 supposed by the finder to be sapphires, 

 being in the same Jocalit}' with the diamond. 

 " One of the minerals most likel}' to be 

 mistaken for the diamond, is a form of 

 small quartz crystal, found principally at 

 Santa Fe and Gallup, N. M., Fort Defi- 

 ance, Ariz., Deadwood, Dak., and Shell 

 Creek, Nev. 



On the Breeding Habits of the Red-Shoul- 

 dered Hawk. 



This beautiful bird, familiar!}' known in 

 southern New England as the Hen Hawk, 

 is quite an abundant resident throughout 

 the year. It is a very noisy bird, especially 

 during the. mating season, a favorite pas- 

 time then being to sail high up in the air in 

 large circles, uttering its cry ; I have seen a 

 number of these birds so far up in the 

 heavens that they looked as small as swal- 

 lows, yet their cry could be heard verj^ 

 plainly. 



Its food consists of small birds, rabbits, 

 squirrels, etc., and occasionally^ chickens, the 

 latter obtained from the poultry yard of some 

 farm. 



It breeds usually in deep, dark, swamp}' 

 woods, and the naturalist might do consider- 

 able hunting and not be able to find its nest. 

 One that I found April 16, 1884, was placed 

 in the confluence of two main limbs of a 

 maple tree in swampy woods ; it was made 

 of sticks, twigs, and sods ; the cavity for the 

 eggs was lined with cedar and grapevine 

 bark and but slightly hollowed, the nest con- 

 tained enough material to fill a bushel bas- 

 ket. As I approached the tree in which the 

 nest was built, the setting bird silently left it, 

 and sailing high up in the air, intently 

 watched me as I climbed to the nest. Soon 

 she was joined by her mate, who made his 

 presence known by uttering his harsh ka- 

 liee, ka-hee ka-hee. 



I find, as a rule, that if the nest is inhab- 

 ited, the ground near the bottom of the tree, 

 and the bushes near by, will have a number 

 of small feathers on and about them. 



On a nest that I found April 25, this sea- 

 son, the bird staid until I began to ascend 

 the tree ; but usually she will leave before the 

 tree in which the nest is placed is reached. 



The nest, the description of which is 

 given above, contained four fresh eggs; 

 the dimensions are as follows : 2.15x1.63 ; 

 2.11x1.65; 2.09x1.62; 2.06x1.62 inches. 



The eggs vary greatly both in size and 

 color of markings. I have specimens, the 

 ground color being light greenish white with 

 scarcely any markings, others so thickly 

 covered with dark brownish blotches as to 

 nearlv hide the surface color of the egg. 

 The largest specimen I have, measures 

 2.23x1.75 inches; the smallest, 2x1.60 / 

 inches. / 



The Native Trees of Rhode Island. 



No. X. 



BY L. W. RUSSELL. 



The Oaks — Quercvs. 



The following comprehensive view of the 

 oaks of Rhode Island is presented as mat- 

 ter which may serve as convenient for refer- 

 ence and identification : 



1 . The Annuals. — Those which grow and 

 mature their fruit during the first season. 



Q. rubra — Red oak. 



Q. tinctoria — Black oak. Yellow-bark. 



Q. coccinea — Scarlet oak. 



Q. palnstris — Pin oak. 



Q. illicifolia — Scrub oak. Bear oak. 



2. The Biennials. — Those which do not 

 mature their fruit until the second season, 

 or eighteen months from blossoming. 



a — The White oak division. 

 Q. alba — White oak. 

 Q. obtusiloba Post oak. 

 b — The Chestnut oak division. 

 Q. — Prinus. 



Var. bicolor — Swamp chestnut oak. 

 monticola — Rock chestnut oak. 

 prinoides — Chin qui pin oak. 

 (not named), 

 annuals " are characterized not 

 only b}' the ripening of the acorns during 

 the first season, but by the lobes of the 

 leaves being terminated by a bristly point 

 or niucro. The lobes of the leaves of the 

 " biennials " are rounded, and destitute of 

 'the bristl}' point. The leaves of the White 

 oak division of the " biennials" have deep 

 sinuses and correspondingly prominent 

 lobes, while those of the Chestnut oak divis- 

 ion have prominent teeth, resembling the 



Var. 

 Var. 

 Var. 



The 



