(J8 



THE OOLOGIST. 



often two feet deep, in order to 

 reach the eggs. The nest is hollowed more 

 than the structiires of most of the hawks, 

 and varies in size, probably from the 

 additional material added, as the nest may 

 be occupied several successive years. The 

 eggs, four, five or six in number, more 

 often five, are usually laid about May 

 twentieth, and are of a dirty light blue 

 colciir and not rarely blotched with obscure 

 markings of brown. Many writers speak 

 of the eggs as blotched in the majority of 

 instances. This is, however, I think more 

 from their inability to distinguish between 

 natural markings and those acquired from 

 contact with the wet grass composing the 

 nest. The eggs closely resemble those of 

 the Cooper's Hawk; are not always dis- 

 tinguishable even by an expert. The eggs 

 of this species, as also of those of Cooper's 

 Hawk are not rarely palmed off on the 

 unsuspecting as eggs of the Goshawk 

 A. atricapillus, and I should advise all to 

 beware of impostures of this nature. 



Aecipiter velox (Wils.) Sharp-shinned 

 Hawk. 



This species is not known to many col- 

 lectosin many parts of our State during 

 summer, and is in fact, I think, only 

 trasient in spring and fall south of 43 

 degrees north latitude. In only one case 

 have I heard of the species breeding in the 

 State. This apparently almost invariable 

 migration throughout northern tiers of 

 counties, may, perhaps, be a result of &a. 

 oversight on the part of our collectors, 

 but it is hardly probable, as we are acquaint- 

 ed with the habits of species of the 

 raptores much less common than this 

 species. 



The little blue -winged hawk or Pigeon 

 Hawk as it is often called, may be taken 

 on our southern borders as early as March 

 tenth ift the spring migration, and from 

 September first during the three autumnal 

 months in its southern journey. It un- 

 doubtedly is found in the State during ever 

 month of the year, as I have met with it 

 in December and have seen a small hawk, 

 which could hardly be of any other species, 



in January. One* which I came into the 

 possession of was making havac among the 

 persistent English Sparrows in the center 

 of the city. 



Having never met with a nest of this spe- 

 ci'-s, although thorough search of twenty 

 years duiation has been my lot, I cannot* 

 speakof its habits in this respect, having to 

 content myself with an uncertain study of 

 its manners during migration. Mr. F. A. 

 Norton, of Ypsilanti, has found two nests 

 of one pair of birds. These were placed 

 in ash trees about thirty feet from the 

 ground and were constructed much after 

 the manner of the Cooper's HaAvk, but 

 were not so large. 



The eggs of this species are among the 

 most beautiful of hawks' eggs and are well 

 worthy of the efforts of an ambitious 

 climber. They are a dirty white in ground 

 color, fometimes of a bluish tinge and are 

 generally beautifully blotched and marked 

 with dark reddish-umber, and usually in 

 greater abundance at the larger end, but 

 sometimes at the smaller end. Often there 

 is a ring formed about the egg and not 

 rarely the blotches are entirely confluent. 



Acdpiter C(wperf (Bonav.) The Cooper's 

 Hawk. 



This active, audacious haw^k is well known 

 in our State and under a variety of names 

 but to the large majority of people it is 

 called chicken hawk, blue-backed hawk 

 and pigeon hawk. The last two names 

 being also given to the sharp-shinned 

 congeners and, as is often the case, being 

 misapplied in both instances. The pigeon 

 hawk, very rare here, being a true falcon, 

 while the local species of the genus acd.piUr 

 are true hawks. There is nothing in a name, 

 as many will insist, however, to which I 

 will add, true enough in English names. 

 Allow me to say here, therefore, that it is 

 the best advice to those interested in any 

 department of natural history, when told 

 to learn a scientific nomenclature, and to 

 adhere to it at all times when writing or 

 talking, thereby avoiding many errors and 

 misunderstari^ingp, sure to arise if the old 

 common local names are used. 



»1 wish there wei-e more of them. 



