OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 231 



he flies to a distant locality, where he repeats similar move- 

 ments. Sometimes days are thus spent before a favorable 

 response is elicited. On the first appearance of the object 

 of his desires, his joy is unbounded. The most endearing 

 attentions are lavished upon her when they meet, which are 

 speedily reciprocated. Scarcely more than two clays are occu- 

 pied in courting, when the happv pair fly away together in 

 quest of a suitable nesting-place. The female apparently 

 has her own way in matters pertaining thereto. A conven- 

 ient spot is shortly fixed upon, and preparations for building 

 begun. 



The nest is generally placed in the summit of a tall tree, 

 or upon a ledge of rock, in some obscure and sequestered 

 locality. The kind of tree generally chosen is a spruce, or 

 some other coniferous tree. In the majority of cases, the 

 structure is built by the birds, at infinite pains and expense. 

 \Ve have observed instances where a deserted nest of the 

 common Grey Squirrel, or that of the common Crow, has been 

 chosen, but this is rarely done. Occasionally, these birds 

 nidificate in the hollow r s of decayed tree-branches, but we 

 have never met with such cases. The labor of building is 

 mutually shared by both birds, the male fetching the mate- 

 rials, which are adjusted by the female. The latter, occasion- 

 ally, assists her partner. The period required to construct 

 a nest, varies from three to four days, according to the style 

 of nest. The birds do not labor continuously, but intermit 

 the task during the heat of the day, and stroll across the 

 country in quest of game, or repose in the cool refreshing 

 shade of their native haunts. 



Externally, the nest is composed of dry sticks which are 

 placed in a crotch near the trunk, thus constituting a plat- 

 orm, upon which the dry grasses are placed which form 

 the interior. The structure is rather compactly and elab- 

 orately built. The diameter is from fourteen to fifteen 

 inches, and the height about six inches. The cavity is 

 rather symmetrically formed, but has the disadvantage of be- 



