EATON — BIRDS OF WESTERN NEW YORK. 33 



country occupied by the birds lay principally across the state line in 

 Pennsylvania; and millions of birds were nesting in the hemlock, pine 

 and hardwood trees, covering a strip of land about fourteen miles in 

 length. In a large hemlock there frequently were 30 or 40 nests con- 

 taining eggs or young. Both male and female birds took part in 

 incubation and in feeding the squabs. The birds scattered mostly 

 toward the north, to feed upon beech mast and all kinds of grain. 

 Just before the laying they fed along the banks of streams and on low 

 ground, when many were taken by the netters. There was a great 

 flight of birds from the nesting grounds at dawn, consisting only of 

 red-breasted cocks; and another "cock flight" about the middle of 

 the afternoon of each day. The " hen flight " occurred about eleven 

 in the forenoon. 



During this nesting dozens of wagon-loads of squabs and old 

 birds were often shipped in one day from Olean. 



After the Ceres nesting the birds nested further south in McKean 

 Co., Pennsylvania; but no remarkable nestings occurred after 1875. 



316. Zenaidura macroura (Linn.) Mourning dove. 



Summer resident ; common. Mar. 20 — Nov. 15. Found in 

 orchards and woodlands, feeding in stubble-fields and coming to the 

 shores and ' 'watering holes' ' in pastures to drink. Gathers in flocks of 

 10-50 in autumn. Nest, in the orchard or woods on a low branch. 

 April 20 — June 10 ; eggs 2. Mainly beneficial. 



Order RAPTORES. Birds of prey. 

 Family CATHARTIDAE. American vulturrs. 



325. Cathartes aura (Linn.) Turkey vulture. 



Summer visitant ; occasional. Westmoreland, May, 1879 — R. 

 & B., p. 117. Kendall, May 23, 1884— Auk, July 1884. Phelps, 

 July 3, 1891 — Auk 8, 396. Clarendon, July 18, 1891 — Auk, April, 

 1892. Maynard, Aug., 1896 — Auk 14, 227. Penn Yan, "1885 and 

 1898" — James Flahive. Geneva, Aug., 1894 ; Stanley, Sept., 1895 ; 

 Bristol, Dec. 28, 1897 ; Canandaigua, Aug. 13, 1899. 



326. Catharista urubu (Vieill. ) Black vulture. 



Summer visitant ; accidental. Shelby Center, May 28, 1892 — 

 Auk 16, 195-. West Seneca, June, 1884, seen by Charles Linden 

 — Berg. p. 10. 



3, Proc. Roch. Acad. Sci., Vol. 4, February S, 1901. 



