—~2 
BurNs—On Broap-wINcep HaAwk. rae 
Oologists, with their intimate knowledge of the ‘breeding 
habits of the bird, frequently note traces of moulting about 
the nest. Fred E. Newberry writes of a bird sailing over the 
tree tops dropping a large quill feather at his feet, and of oc- 
cupied nests profusely feathered; Chas. C. Richards of three 
tail and numerous body feathers under a nest in June, from 
which the young had fled; and J. Claire Wood observed traces 
of the adult plumage in the lingering migrant immatures in 
June, suggesting a transformation into adult plumage during 
the summer of the second year. J have frequently gathered 
moulted feathers in the woods and under the nests, recently 
dropped, during the nesting period. A skin in the collection of 
the Phi, Acad. Nat. Sci., taken at Hudson, N. Y., as late as 
May 25, shows no evidence of moulting, however. Trowbridge 
states that he has found several of the adult specimens shot 
in Sept. 24, °87 ,at New Haven, Ct., moulting about the head- 
He fails to inform us, however, that otherwise these were in 
fully renewed plumage. 
My captives passed through the annual moult I believe in 
no wise different from the average bird of the same species 
in a state of nature. They received sufficient natural and va- 
ried food, were kept in the open and altogether in a healthy 
condition. I gathered the moulted feathers once or twice each 
day and placed them in dated envelopes, and the birds were 
examined as frequently and as critically as it was possible to 
do where the subject was a biting, clawing and struggling sav- 
age. The feathers on one specimen dying in February were 
actually counted. numbering 2842; the smaller feathers of the 
head, chin, throat. lesser wing coverts and under wing lining, 
about totaling 1805 feathers, were largely lost in the open 
cage, but most of the balance and more important plumage, 
saved as above related. My notes follow: 
First Mout, Posr JuvENILE—The spring moult began with 
the ‘female “Nip” on the morning of April 19, when the 10th 
and 9th pairs of primaries and first scapulars dropped; by the 
24th the 8th primary and first scapulars were cast, followed by 
the 7th the next day when the 10th, 9th and 8th primaries 
