3¢ ORNITHOLOGIST © 
invasion of this locality seems to have been a 
very unique bird movement. 
A friend informs me of the capture, on St. 
Helena Island, of a Grebe that was unknown to 
him and undiscribed—at least in that plumage— 
in Coues’ Key. He mentions that the back of the 
neck and head were of a velvety black. Is it 
possible that it could be the true Nigricollis? 
as 
Florida Birds in December, 1885. 
BY A. L. BROWNE, ORLANDO, FIA. 
A few changes among the birds have occurred 
this month, but none of much importance. 
On the first day of the month, just after sunset, 
a Chuck-will’s-widow, (A. carolinensis,) suddenly 
appeared close by the house, in the orange grove, 
and perched on an overturned plow for some 
minutes, once darting some distance up in the air 
evidently in pursuit of an insect. This was the 
only instance in which I saw the species. The 
Red-poll Warblers were very abundant at the 
commencement of the month, but seemed to di- 
minish in numbers somewhat during the latter 
part, and the Chipping Sparrows, which fre- 
quently accompanied them, became the more nu- 
merous of the two. 
One small flock of the Warblers in this grove 
the last of the month, were quite tame, showing 
but little fear of persons about the house, and 
often coming upon the porch after flies. 
The Grass Finch and Savannah Sparrow, like 
the Red-poll Warblers, grew less plenty during 
the last half of the month, The Meadow Lark, 
Belted Kingfisher and Killdeer were quite scarce. 
Titlarks were rarely seen after the first week. 
The Marsh Hawk disappeared entirely, but its 
place was supplied by the Sparrow Hawk, (7°. 
sparverius), Which became the first of the month 
quite plenty, usually in or near the pine woods, 
though occasionally found in an orange grove. 
Another new bird forthe month was the Purple 
Grackle, (Q. purpureus). Saw large flock on the 
16th, among the pine trees on the edge of a lake, 
and another on the 21st, around a little pond close 
to the city. Saw flocks at intervals afterward. 
The Great White Egret, (7. «. egretta,) and 
Great Blue Heron, (A. heroedias,) also appeared. 
The former I first saw on the 4th, and found fre- 
quently during the month about the lake shores, 
often wading deep in the water and catching fish 
or frogs with great dexterity. The Great Blue 
Heron was seen only on the 22d and 28th, perched 
in pine trees near the lakes, 
The only time I have ever seen the Brown 
Thrush, (47. rufus), at this place was on the 19th 
of the month. He was in the hummocks, and 
[Vol. 11--No. 3 
very sly; I could only get an accasional glimpse 
of him as he darted about omongst the scrub val- 
metto. Saw one Great Carolina Wren, (7. ludo- 
vicianus), on the 29th, about the edge of a high 
hummock. 
Noticed several times one of a pair of Logger- 
head Shrikes, which make this grove their home, 
pounce upon a Mockingbird who had approached 
too near the location of their last season’s nest, 
and drive bim from the vicinity. From this I 
judge that they are preparing to build, as that 
habit toward the Mocker seems to be a character- 
istic of the breeding season. A warm, sunny 
day following a frosty night was a time of great 
activity among the birds. On the 7th, which was 
such a day, I found Maryland Yellow-throats ex- 
ceedingly abundant about high and low hum- 
mocks, (this month I found both sexes equally 
numerous), also Tufted Titmouse and Carolina 
Chickadees in the same places much more abun- 
dant than usual. The other species were more 
sprightly than they ordinarily appear. 
The 28th and 29th were similar days, and it 
started the Bluebird, Cardinal Grosbeak and 
Mockingbird briskly into song, though it may 
prove only temporary. The Grosbeaks have been 
more plenty this month than last. Red-bellied 
Woodpeckers and Flickers were more plenty in 
the pines this month. 
Saw one Pied-billed Grebe on the 16th, and 
three on the 17th, on the same lake on which the 
one was taken last month. Among the other 
birds which were plenty in November no notice- 
able change has taken place. 
Red-tailed Hawk. 


(Buteo borealis.) 
BY GEO, P. ELLIOTT, MERCER, PA. 
This species is comparatively common in this 
locality, being the detested Hen Hawk, of the 
farmers and hunters. It is taken with great diffi- 
culty as it 1s excedingly shy and hard to ap- 
proach. It is almost impossible to get within 
gun-shot of it unless the hunter is on horseback 
or in a sleigh or wagon. 
In the far west, however, this is quite contrary, 
and H. W. Henshaw, of Washington, D. C., one 
of our most reliable ornithological authorities, in 
his ‘Ornithological Notes,” says: 
“At Mount Graham, in October, these hawks 
were present in large numbers, and tamer than I 
have ever known hawks to be elsewhere. Walk- 
ing quietly along, there was no difficulty in ap- 
proaching within a few yards of the tree where 
one chanced to perch. One individual which I 
scared from its perch by throwing a stone, took a 
