238 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA, 
This is a hawk whose young are commonly met with near the 
St. Lawrence in September and October. Only once have I met 
with its nest there—24th May, 1899. This nest was built against 
the trunk of a maple and contained two fresh eggs. It is a late 
breeder, seldom laying before the last week in May, though once 
I found the eggs earlier. It is the commonest hawk in the 
county of Renfrew, near the Ottawa River, and is also common 
in the county of Lanark. Unlike the red-shouldered it is partial 
to thick swampy woods near creeks and builds its nest more 
often against the trunk than among the limbs of atree. I have 
seen five nests. Four of these were in birch trees and one in a 
maple. The earliest date for its eggs was 8th May, 1886, and 
the latest 3rd June, 1888. The average time is about 24th May. 
The favourite trees selected seem to be black or yellow birch. 
(Rev. C.J. Young.) Common in Parry Sound and Muskoka dis- 
tricts. A large number breed. Found a nest at Emsdale, Parry 
Sound District, 27th May, 1897; it was apparently an old nest 
and contained three eggs. It was built about 30 feet from the 
ground in a birch. (J. H. Fleming.) We found this bird nesting 
at Woodlands, Manitoba, June 11th, 1894. The nest contained 
two eggs. (W. Raine.) 
Very common in the woods around Muskoka lakes. Always 
builds its nest in the large black birch trees. I have never seen one 
in any other tree and I have taken many nests. The nest is made of 
sticks lined with leaves and bark. The food of the young ap- 
peared to be chiefly frogs. A person will scarcely ever miss 
seeing one or more sitting upon a stub of a dead tree just above 
the water in which frogs are plentiful in spring. They also catch 
mice and a few young birds. On one occasion I saw one carrying 
a snake more than two feet long. I think that the reason they 
prefer the birch is on account of thick foliage and the forked 
nature of the tree near the top, which makes a very suitable place 
to nest in. I have always found the nests in thick woods and as 
I have never seen a nest anywhere except in Muskoka they have 
always been near water as it would be hard to be otherwise. 
(Spreadborough.) 
MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 
Three ; one purchased with the Holman collection in 1885. 
One taken at Toronto, Ont., by S. Herring, and one taken at 
London, Ont., by W. E. Saunders, May 3rd, 1884. 
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