20 THE BIRDS OF SPRINGFIELD AND VICINITY. 



354. a Falco rusticolus gyrfalco (I/Lnn.). GYR- 

 FALCON. Accidental visitor; Mr. H. O. Damon captured one 

 in Northampton, February, 1879, which is the specimen in the 

 Science building. 



356. Falco peregrinus anatum (Bonap.)- DUCK 

 HAWK. A rare summer resident, breeding on several of the 

 mountain tops in this vicinity, including Mt. Tom, where for 

 years its nests have been constantly robbed. Notwithstanding 

 this, and the fact that a hotel has been built on the summit, 

 with electric cars running to it, the Duck Ha\vk still persists 

 in making this mountain its summer home. 



357. Falco columbarius I/inn. PIGKON HAWK. Rare 

 spring and autumn visitor. Dr. William Wood was quite sure 

 that it bred in East Windsor, but he had no positive evidence 

 of that fact. 



360. Falco sparverius I/inn. AMERICAN SPARROW 

 HAWK. Common summer resident, not uncommon in winter 

 and more numerous at all seasons than formerly. In 1894, a 

 pair built their nest on a platform under the cornice of the 

 six-story building of the Morgan Envelope Company, on Har- 

 rison avenue, Springfield, where their young \vere successfully 

 raised, and nearly every year since I have seen a pair through 

 the breeding season, near the business center of Springfield; 

 one year they adopted the steeple of the First church as their 

 home, where they could be seen every day. Tw r o or three 

 winters ago, a large bag of oats was broken open and the con- 

 tents scattered in the yard of my unused barn at Tatham, in 

 West Springfield, and to feed on this grain, mice gathered in 

 such great numbers that the barn was overrun with them. 

 In March, a pair of Sparrow Hawks, finding their food supply 

 so abundant, drove out a pair of doves, that were breeding in 

 an apartment of a cote attached to the barn, and there laid their 

 eggs. Though the male was killed, the female persisted, and 

 at the end of thirty-four days the young were hatched and 

 successfully raised. During the time of incubation and the 

 raising of the young, none of the wild birds in the vicinity 



