Vol. XXII 

 igos 



Stockard, Nesting Habits of Mississippi Birds. 1^1 



escape the intruder. All doves are not given to this trick as some fly 

 swiftly from the nest tree without any attempt to cajole the collector. I 

 made special observations to ascertain whether or not there was any rela- 

 tion between the action of the bird on leaving the nest and the condition 

 of the eggs or young. My results were entirely negative; some birds 

 were seen to perform in a frantic manner after leaving perfectly fresh 

 eggs, while others would fly in an ordinary way from a nest containing 

 young. The actions seemed only dependent upon the feelings or nature 

 of the mother. 



18. Cathartes aura. Turkey Vulture. — Only five nests of this vul- 

 ture were observed, the earliest on March 21, 1898, and the latest fresh 

 eggs on April 25, 1902. The breeding places selected were either the 

 hollows of fallen logs or the hollows in large stumps. A pair will 

 continue to use the same nest for many consecutive seasons even though 

 their eggs were taken during the previous year. (For fuller details of 

 nesting habits of Vultures see Stockard, ' Nesting Habits of Woodpeckers 

 and Vultures in Mississippi.' Auk, Vol. XXI, No. 4.) 



19. Catharista urubu. Black Vulture. — The earliest set from this 

 species was taken on March 11, 1902, but a set was collected on March 16, 

 1901, that had been incubated for about three weeks; thus it was probably 

 laid as early as February 23. April 19, 1902, the latest set was found, 

 which was the second set of that season for the same pair, and as far as I 

 am aware this is the only case recorded of two sets within one season 

 from the Black Vulture. 



20. Accipiter cooperii. Cooper's Hawk. — A very common hawk in 

 Mississippi, where it is rather retiring in its nesting habits, usually select- 

 ing a deep wood in which to rear its brood. The eleven nests observed 

 were all located high up in oak or hickory trees which usually stood 

 more than a quarter of a mile within the wood. The nests were built 

 early in the year, generally about the last of February, and were at 

 this time fully exposed to view from all sides, since the nest trees 

 had not yet put forth their leaves. But about the time the young had 

 hatched, late March or early April, the foliage had become sufficiently 

 dense to almost completely conceal the nest. I have never known this 

 hawk to use the same nest for a second season, or to use any other old 

 nest, but all observed built new nests each year. The numbers of eggs 

 composing sets were three and four. The earliest set was found on 

 March 2, 1895, and the latest on April 5, 1899. Their laying season 

 reaches its maximum about the middle of March. 



21. Buteo borealis. Red-tailed Hawk. — This hawk was found in 

 all the farming districts of the State, and seems to remain almost con- 

 stantly in any locality that it may choose for a hunting ground. A 

 certain pair can be observed almost at any time within their small domain, 

 and they apparently retain this as a home for many years. When one 

 Red-tail's nest is found in a wood the observer may feel quite certain that 

 similar nests will be constructed near this one for several seasons to 



