THE NIDOLOGIST 
Archibuteo lagopus sancti johannis:—Am. 
Rough-legged Hawk. 
This handsome Hawk is rare in this state, 
at times being seen during its southern mi- 
grations. It is harmless, as well as bene- 
ficial, most of its foods consisting of mice, 
moles, frogs, etc. 
Aquila chrysaetos:—Golden Eagle. 
Rare straggler; occasionally one will be 
recorded in the state; in all I have seen 
about half a dozen records. One from 
Gaithersburg was under date December 8, 
1889 (‘Hawks and Owls,” Dr.A.K. Fisher. ) 
In March 18y4, one was shot near Port 
Deposit. 
‘The latest record I have was one shot by 
Mr. Chas. H. Boone Jr., of this city, and 
recorded in the Baltimore “Sun’’ of Nov. 
30, 1894. It was killed at the mouth of 
Atter Creek, Harford county, and measured 
3’ 4’’ in length and seven across the wings. 
This specimen I saw shortly after it had 
been skinned. 
Hale etus leucocephalus:—Bald Eagle. 
Resident, and not rare in the neighbor- 
hood of Baltimore, several pairs nesting 
annually within a few miles of the city. 
It isseldom I have been in the vicinity of 
any of our large rivers without seeing one 
or more of these birds, and on one occa- 
sion (July 16, :891) I saw three together. 
In the immature plumage it is commonly 
supposed to be a distinct species, and is 
called the ‘‘Gray” or ‘‘Black’’ Kagle. 
It is very fond of fish, many of which 
are taken from the Fish Hawk, although I 
have seen if capture them for itself. It 
will also eat carrion, and is occasionally 
seen consorting with a flock of Turkey 
Buzzards. 
In this neighborhood they generally be- 
gin nidification by March 1. Another date 
being March 29, 1893, two eggs, incubation 
about fresh. In this latter case the ¢ was 
shot two days before the eggs were taken, 
and the 9° was incubating there alone. 
There nests I visited with my friend, Mr. 
Kirkwood who ascended to both nests. The 
nest of 1893 was an immense affair, meas- 
uring 5’ 6’’xq4’ on top, and was 4’ 5”’ high. 
It was eighty feet from the ground, in a 
red oak. The birds made no pretense 
at defending their nest in either case, only 
flying about overhead or perching some 
distance off in a tree and ‘‘cackling.”’ 
Scattered about in the vicinity of the 
nests were the feathers and remains of num- 
121 
erous Ducks that had been eaten by the 
birds. 
Falco peregrinus anatum:—Duck Hawk. 
The Duck Hawk, or Great-footed Hawk, 
as it is sometimes called, may be considered 
as very rare inthis state. While ina 
ducking blind on Gunpowder river, March 
5, 1887, my attention was attracted bya 
Hawk which I took to be this species, 
but having no glass with me I was un- 
able to positively identify it. 
It is exceedingly destructive to Ducks, 
game and poultry, and when in pursuit of 
them, it is said to fly with the swiftness 
of an arrow. 
It is said that for years past several pairs 
have nested on the rocky cliffs of ‘‘Mary- 
land Heights,’’ across the Potomac river, 
opposite Harper’s Ferry. They are there 
known as ‘‘Rock Hawks.’’ 
Falco columbarius:—Pigeon Hawk. 
This species is very rare in Maryland, 
and personally I have never met with it. 
Inthe ‘‘Ornithologist and Oologist,’’ Vol. 
VIII, September 1883, Mr. Chas. D. Gib- 
son stated it to be a resident of Maryland, 
and to breed in the state. 
Falco sparverius:—Am. Sparrow Hawk. 
Our smallest Hawk, and resident but 
most abundant during the summer. The ¢ 
is a beautiful bird. They are easily tamed 
and make very interesting pets; oneI once 
possessed would answer my call and follow 
me about in the field. 
Their food consists of small mammals, 
and birds, but principally, during the sum- 
mer, of grasshoppers. I have killed them 
when their stomachs were gorged to the 
utmost extent with ‘hoppers alone. A 
favorite perch is the pole of a haystack, or 
the ridge of a barrack, from which they 
make frequent forays over the field, hover- 
ing in search of their prey. 
The eggs, four or five in number, are 
usually deposited on the bare wood in either 
an old Flicker’s hole, or a natural cavity in 
a tree, although occasionally they will make 
use of the dark corner of an open hay bar- 
rack. Their eggs can be found from early 
in April until the end of May. May 26, 
1894, I found a set of four fresh eggs in a 
Flicker’s hole in an old chestnut tree,about 
thirtv feet up. The Hawks had evidently 
driven off the Flickers soon after they had 
finished the hole, as along with the eggs of 
