SHARP-SHINNED HAWK— PIGEON HAWK. 43 



waska and Bonnechere rivers they are very abundant. I have 

 also observed them frequently in the neighborhood of Belleville, 

 and in many localities between this town and the village of 

 Madoc twenty-six miles to the northward, where they are the 

 Hawk most commonly met with. To the northward of the 

 Ottawa river and Ottawa city I collected many along the valleys 

 of the rivers Gatineau and Lievre, and tound them to be particu- 

 larly numerous around the edges of burnt clearings and where 

 logging was going on. They are tolerably abundant in the neigh- 

 borhood of Montreal, and a considerable number were obtained 

 some years since on different parts of the mountain. In Hamilton, 

 Mcllwraith says: "Seen in spring and fall. Not observed to 

 breed." The prey of the Sharp-shinned Hawk consists of small 

 birds, the smaller quadrupeds, and insects. I have observed this 

 bird sitting motionless for hours during the heat of the day on 

 the branch of some tall tree on the edge of a clearance ; towards 

 sundown he rouses up, shakes out his feathers, and is all life 

 and activity in anticipation of his evening repast. The prey 

 is captured, whether it be an insect, mouse or bird, by a sudden 

 and quick dash, and in most cases is carried into some concealed 

 nook amongst the shrubbery, where it is devoured. 



The Sharp-shin nests in trees and, according to some writers, 

 on rocks, but I have never observed the nest in this last position. 

 The eggs are four to five in number, of a yellowish or light green- 

 ish white color, splashed in every conceivable manner with different 

 shades of brown ; sometimes these markingrs are nearer one end 

 than the other, or form a wreath or belt towards the centre ; and 

 again, are confusedly spread over the whole surface from the one 

 end to the other ; indeed it is extremely difficult to find two or 

 three exactly alike. The egg measures 1.45 by 1.15, and the 

 ends are of about equal size. If I am not very much mistaken 

 this Hawk occasionally makes use of the nests of other Hawks 

 and Crows to rear its young — a habit common to our little 

 Sparrow Hawk. 



Dr. Cooper says : " On the Sierra Nevada I have seen one 

 pursuing a striped squirrel, coming down with a zig-zag course 



