Vol i907^ V ] Deane, Unusual Abundance of the Goshawk. 183 



Island and one on the mainland, he had known of a number 

 seen at other points. 



Mr. M. Abbott Frazar, taxidermist, Boston, Mass., writes 

 under date of Feb. 1, 1907, that the present flight of Goshawks 

 had exceeded any in his experience; up to that date he had re- 

 ceived over seventy-five specimens for mounting. They were 

 sent in from all over the country, one from as far south as Virginia. 

 Only three of this lot were in immature or in mixed plumage. 



Mr. W. P. Conger, taxidermist, Burlington, Vt., in a letter dated 

 Feb. 19, 1907, states that Goshawks have been quite abundant in 

 his locality and that he had received fifteen or more specimens. 



Messrs. Angell and Cash, taxidermists, Providence, R. I., have 

 had a very extended experience this season with the Goshawk, 

 and with their usual appreciation of the value of scientific records, 

 have kept careful and accurate data of sixty-five specimens which 

 passed through their hands between Oct. 27, 1906, and Feb. 12, 

 1907. All of these hawks were received from twenty-two towns 

 within a radius of from three to thirty miles from Providence, R. I., 

 ten from Connecticut, and sixteen from Massachusetts, mostly 

 from localities not far from the Rhode Island border. The exact 

 localities where seventeen of the specimens were taken is not 

 known, but presumably from nearby points in Rhode Island. 

 Mr. Cash writes me that this is the most remarkable flight of Gos- 

 hawks in his section since 1870, the numbers exceeding those of 

 that date. He also states that hunters have reported a great abun- 

 dance of Ruffed Grouse, and as examination showed that a large 

 percentage of these hawks had been feeding on this noble game 

 bird, it would seem reasonable to believe that they were attracted 

 by their favorite food. 



Of the sixty-five specimens, thirty-five were males and twenty- 

 five females. Sixty were in adult plumage and five in immature 

 dress. The crops of many were filled to the utmost and some 

 hunters who brought in specimens which they had shot, remarked 

 that the hawks appeared inactive after their hearty meals. 



A careful examination of the stomachs of forty-eight specimens 

 showed the following results: twenty-eight contained the flesh 

 and feathers of the Ruffed Grouse, in one instance a whole foot 

 being found; five contained the flesh and feathers of the domestic 



