123 



134. Accipiter cooperi (Bonaparte'). COOPER'S HAWK. A sum- 

 mer resident. Probably occurs in winter. Breeds abundantly. 



I found a nest May 10, 1876, and fired a charge of dust shot into it 

 to make it certain whether the nest was occupied, or not; the parent 

 bird flew swiftly away, and, though I waited a long time for its return, 

 it did not come back. Visiting the nest another time, I shouted and 

 made as much din as possible about the tree ; after a while the bird 

 arose and looked over the edge of the nest, and then resumed its place 

 upon it; a moment later it flew swiftly away. I fired after it, and the 

 shot took effect in its breast and head; stretching its legs away down, 

 and raising its wings high and beating them swiftly, it moved slowly 

 in a wide circle, very high in the air; it came around above the nest, 

 and then dropped just at my feet. Although not very severely injured, 

 it made no display of courage. The nest, built in the quadruple fork 

 of a chestnut-tree at a height of about forty feet, was composed of 

 sticks, all of which were of small size; there was not a feather in it, 

 and no pretence of a lining, save a few pieces of white-oak bark ; its 

 depression was slight. The eggs, four in number, were quite fresh: 

 white, with a strong greenish tinge, with a few brown blotches on two 

 of them. 



A nest found May 2, 1878, was built in a basswood-tree (Tilia amer- 

 t'cana), beside a swampy pool in the midst of a wood. When ap- 

 proached, the female left her nest, and alighted on the opposite side of 

 the morass; she was joined by her mate, and both set up a singular 

 barking cry, repeated in rapid succession, and resembling, as much as 

 anything, the prolonged utterance of the Flicker (Colaptes auratus). 

 Then the male approached, and, circling overhead, lit on a tree near 

 the nest, but soon retreated to the opposite side of the pool; both 

 birds continuing their singular cry. The male bird was shot as he 

 soared overhead, and his mate withdrew, and did not return that day. 

 The nest was somewhat bulky., and contained four eggs. It was 

 rather more concave than usual; built of small sticks, lined with a 

 few pieces of rough bark, with no additional materials. The eggs 

 differed from those previously described only in having no spots, which 

 latter are unusual. 



One nest contained only three eggs. 



Dimensions. Measurements of No. 1,226, ? ad., May 10, 1876, 

 Highland Falls, N. Y., E. A. M. : length, 19-75; stretch, 35-00; wing, 

 10-13; tail, 8-75. 



135. Astur atricapillus (Wilson'). AMERICAN GOSHAWK. A 

 winter resident, and spring and fall migrant. Seen in spring as late 

 as April 28 (1877). 



The Goshawk is rather frequently met with ; but, owing to its shy- 

 ness, is rarely killed. I obtained a single specimen from the Catskill 



