188 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



to occupy the same locality, for several successive seasons, to 

 the exclusion of all others. During the prevalence of day. 

 they would roost together, only deserting their posts at dusk, 

 to go in search of food ; but returning thither on the; approach 

 of dawn. The period of mating is of apparently mo- 

 mentary duration, scarcely lasting more than a day or two. 

 Instances have come under our notice where the period 

 was somewhat protracted, possibly owing to the selection 

 of a new partner by one or the other sex, to take the place 

 of the-one deceased. 



Nidification succeeds almost immediately after pairing is 

 accomplished. The nest is usually placed in the top of a 

 tall evergreen, in the midst of a dense thicket of coniferous 

 trees. Sometimes the nest of other species of birds, such as 

 the Quabird, Crow, and Hawk, are rendered available ; but 

 generally the nest is constructed by the birds themselves. 

 This work is exclusively performed during the night-time by 

 the joint labor of the sexes. The period required to build 

 a nest never exceeds two nights, sometimes a single night be- 

 ing necessary. 



The nest is slovenly and rudely built, and at a distance 

 resembles a crow's nest. It is composed externally of rude 

 sticks, in many cases, but not unfrequently of boughs with 

 the leaves adherent thereto. Internally, there is a scant 

 lining of dry grasses, and feathers, chiefly of birds captured. 

 or pluckings from the breast of the female-bird. The diam- 

 eter at the base varies from eighteen to twenty inches, and 

 the height from eight to ten inches. The nest is generally 

 placed at a height ranging from twenty to thirty feet. We 

 have never known the birds to build at a less elevation, 

 although Audubon asserts that these birds accommodate 

 themselves to nests of other species, situated high or low. 

 Mr. Kennicott has found the nest on the ground in Illinois; 

 Mr. Richardson both upon the ground and in low. bushes. 

 Nests are also placed in the fissures of rocks, in certain 

 localities. Mr. Ridgway, who found this bird in great 



