207 



another of three, at 'The Narrows," Delaware liver. 

 Month of incubation, April." Reports which 1 have 

 received from other naturalists and collectors, show 

 that the Duck Hawk has been observed in other parts 

 of the State as a straggler in the spring and fall, or as 

 a rather rare and irregular winter visitor. I have 

 never found the nest of this bird. 



Dr. Coues states that it "breeds as far south as Virginia 

 at least; eggs, 2-5, oftener 3-4, 2.10 to 2.35x1.60 to 1.75, averag- 

 ing about 2.25x1.65; white or whitish, spotted, blotched, 

 wreathed, clouded, etc., with the reddish-browns, from choco- 

 late Of even purplish to the ochres." — Key, N. A. Birds. 



KILLS DOMESTIC FOWLS. 



This hawk, like the Cooper's and Sharp-shinned spe- 

 cies previously described, is detrimental, but fortu- 

 nately for the farmer and fruit grower the Duck Hawk 

 is a comparatively rare bird, and, except in winter, 

 is found usually about the larger rivers. However, 

 when a pair of these birds begin house-keeping on a 

 high, rocky ledge in the neighborhood of farm houses, 

 they frequently destroy a good many domestic fowls. 



For several years past a pair of these hawks have 

 nested in an inaccessible nook on a high rocky bluff 

 along the Susquehanna river across from Northumber- 

 land, Pa., and several poultry raisers in that locality 

 have had a good many of their fowls killed by thein. 



Two years ago, in mid-winter, a farmer living along 

 the Brandywine creek near West Chester, brought to 

 my office two of these hawks wliich he had killed one 

 evening at his carp pond where, he stated, they went 

 to watch and catch his ducks and chickens. He said 

 that this pair of hawks liad killed eight chickens and 

 three ducks for him in about a week, and that they 

 had also caught several of his pigeons. 



