( 'iiu'us c V AXKis — Bole. 

 ^Iaksii Hawk, Moise Hawk. — Thi.s liawk it; often .^ocu in 

 the orchards and fields, but especially in the meadows and 

 marshes, Avhere it captures a vast number of mice and moles, 

 which constitute the chief part of its diet. As it destroys but 

 few small birds, and never attacks ])oultry, it is regarded with 

 considerable favor by the farmer. It is easily distinguished 

 from other hawks, its habits being very different. It rarely 

 utters a cry like the other hawks, but silently skims over the 

 meadows in search of its })rey. 'L'he nest is built u[)on a knoll 

 in a meadow, and is formed of dry grass woven together, and 

 sliy-litlv hollowed and lined with soft grasses. Eggs four in 

 number, dirtv-white in color, generally laid by first week of 

 May. 



Pkus I'l t.ksckns — Liiiiutiis. 



DowN'i AVoODfKCKKh'. — This woodpecker is the smallest 

 we have, and is well known among farmers as a valuable 

 agent in destroying the larvae of insects which infest the orchard. 

 At all seasons of the year, but more particularly during Sep- 

 temljcr and October, it may be ol)served busily at work de- 

 stroying the eggs deposited on tiie apple trees by the "count- 

 less swarm of summer insects." This bird excavates a hole 

 about twelve or fifteen inches deep, in a decayed stump or limb 

 of a tree, in Avhich tlw eggs arc placed on a few soft chips left 

 in making the hole. They are five in number, of a beautiful 

 ♦Tcamy-white color: they are usually laid l)y the lOth of ^Nfay. 



Cola 1'T|-:s a i ■ u a'J'L' s — Sivaimon . 

 GoLDEX-AViNOKi) "WooDi'KCKEif. — This is the most com- 

 mon of all our "Woodpeckers, and any description of its habits 

 seems almost superfluous. Both birds assist in excavating the 

 hole which is to receive the egf;^. This is often from fifteen 

 to twenty inches deep. Xo nest is built, but on the bottom of 

 the hole the female lays eight pure Avhitc eggs, which are about 

 as large at one end as the other. If the eggs be taken from 

 her, leaving one for a " nest-egg," she Avill continue to lay 



