34 



THE HAWKS AND OWLS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



from various towns and villages show that the habit of visiting such 

 places for the sparrow is becoming common. 



The following sx)ecies of birds were positively identified among the 

 stomach contents : 



Callijjepla gambeli. 

 Zenaiditra maa'oura. 

 Dryohates puiescena. 

 Colaptes cafer. 

 Colaptes auratus, 

 Chcetura pelagica. 

 Molothrus ater. 

 Icterus spuriug. 

 Quiacahis quiscula. 

 Carpodacus m. frontalis. 

 Spinus iristis. 

 Ammodramus s. savanna. 

 Jmmodramus s. alaudinus. 

 Zonotrichia alhicollis. 

 Spizella pusilla. 

 Spizella sociaUs. 

 Spizella monticola. 

 Junco hyemalifi. 

 Melospiza fasciaia. 

 Passerella iliara. 

 Passer doviesticns. 

 Pipilo aherti. 

 Vireo olivaceus. 



Dendroica maculosa. 



Dendroica virens. 



Dendroica coronata. 



Dendroica castanea. 



Dendroica striata. 



Dendroica vigor sii, 



Seiur u s auro capi I lu8. 



Geothlypis triclias. 



Sylvania pusilla. 



Sylvania j). pileolata. 



Sylvania canadensis. 



Mimus polyglottos. 



Ga leoscop tes caro tin en s is. 



Harporhynchus crissalis. 



Campy lorh yn ch us iru n n eicap illua. 



Thryotliorus ludovicianus. 



Sitta canadensis. 



Parus atricapillus. 



Pegulus calendula. 



Turdus alicice. 



Turdua aonalaschla; pallasii. 



Merula migratoria. 



Sialia sialis. 



This little Hawk is one of the latest to commence nesting, laying its 

 eggs when most of the other species have half- grown young. North 

 of parallel 40° full complements of eggs are not found until the latter 

 part of May, and early in June sets are often taken which are only 

 slightly incubated. The :uest, which is situated usually iii a dense 

 hemlock or other conifer, though occasionally in a deciduous tree, is 

 rarely at any considerable height from the ground, 20 feet being a fair 

 average. The bird is said to build sometimes in the crevices of cliff's or 

 hollows of trees, but these sites must be considered exceptional. The 

 nest is a large structure in i)roix)rtion to the size of the bird, and is 

 made of dry sticks more or less comiiactly placed together, with or 

 without a sparse lining of soft inner bark or green leaves. It does not 

 always construct its own nest, for it sometimes remodels the old nest of 

 the crow, magpie, or even squirrel. The eggs are four or five in num- 

 ber, and are usually deposited on alternate days, though occasionally 

 only on every third day. Among the Raptores the nest of this species 

 is one of the easiest to find, as the parents invariably commence scolding 

 as soon as an intruder enters their domain, even when the nest is being 

 constructed. 



The flight of the Sharp-shinned Hawk is swift, but irregular, often 

 X^rotracted, and is identical in character with that of the two following 

 species. At times it passes rapidly along the fence rows or darts in 



