2 74 Dutcher, Rare Long Island Birds. Ffuly 



is surprising that this was not discovered sooner, as their habitats were so 

 very different, one frequenting a dense scrub oak region and the other an 

 open prairie country. 



Yours truly, 

 January 20th, 1892. Geo. N. Lawrence."] 



Ectopistes migratorius. Passenger Pigeon. — There is but one spe- 

 cimen in the collection ; it is without data. Col. Pike contributes the fol- 

 lowing interesting note regarding the former abundance of this species and 

 an old time recollection of shooting them within the present city limits of 

 Brooklyn. "Near Second Place (now blocks of brown stone dwellings) 

 there used to be a large, thickly-wooded hill ; at that time (1840) this was 

 out of town, and there were very few houses between the City Hall and 

 it. Sportsmen used to gather at this place to shoot Wild Pigeons. In 

 crossing Long Island the Pigeons used to take this wooded hill in their 

 flight, to rest before they crossed at the Narrows below. I have seen 

 thousands there, and have killed a great many at that place. They have 

 been gradually growing less since, and for the last fifteen years I have not 

 seen a single individual on Long Island. Just fifteen years ago I was col- 

 lecting at Flatlands and I shot one, the last I ever met; lam sorry I 

 killed it. They are gradually becoming extinct everywhere, and in a 

 few years they will be entirely wiped out." 



Accipiter atricapillus. American Goshawk. — The collection contains 

 two fine specimens, both of which were mounted by Mr. Akhurst. One 

 is in immature plumage, and was presented by Mr. James A. Hewlett of 

 Rockaway, Queens Co. No date is given. The second specimen is an 

 adult bird, and was shot by Mr. W. Day at Bay Ridge, Kings Co. This 

 person was a retail dealer in poultry and kept a stand in Bond Street, 

 Brooklyn ; he was very fond of a gun, and shot during the season many 

 small birds, as Robins, Golden-winged Woodpeckers, etc., which he sold. 

 When he shot such birds as Owls, Hawks, etc., he took them to Mr. 

 Akhurst, who bought them to mount. There is no date given with this 

 specimen, although Mr. Akhurst thinks it was probably shot early in the 

 sixties. He recalls one winter about thirty years since when there was a 

 remarkable flight of Goshawks on the Island. They were nearly all adult 

 birds, and were so plentiful that he refused to buy them even at twenty- 

 five cents each. He shot a number, and purchased many more, all of 

 which he preserved and afterwards sold. He has never seen such a flight 

 since although he has occasionally received specimens. 



Aquila chrysaetos. Golden Eagle. — This specimen was brought to 

 Mr. Akhurst alive by a negro who caught the bird at Canarsie. To 

 prevent its escape it was wrapped in a piece of old fish-net. The price 

 paid for the bird was $5.00, which sum was furnished by the late Mr. Van 

 Brunt Wyckoff of Bay Ridge. No date or sex is given. 



"Hierofalco Islandicus {Sabine). Jer. Falcon." — Recorded by Mr. 

 George N. Lawrence 1 in his list, in the following words : "This species is 



1 Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist., Vol. VIII, 1866, p. 280. 



