SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. 525 
Whilst travelling to some distance, the Sharp-shinned Hawk flies 
high, though in a desultory manner, with irregular quick flappings of 
the wings, and at times, as if to pause for a while and examine the ob- 
jects below, moves in short and unequal circles, after which it is seen 
to descend rapidly, and then follow its course at the height of only a 
few feet from the ground, visiting as it were every clump of low bushes 
or briar patches likely to be supplied with the smaller birds, on which 
it principally feeds. Again, after having satisfied its hunger, this 
little warrior, at times rises to a great height, and indeed now and then 
is searcely discernible from the ground. 
I found a nest of this Hawk in a hole of the well-known “ Rock- 
in-cave” on the Ohio River, in the early part of the spring of 1819. It 
was simply constructed, having been formed of a few sticks and some 
grasses carelessly interwoven, and placed about two feet from the en- 
trance of the hole. I had the good fortune to secure the female bird, 
while she was sitting on her eggs, which were nearly hatched, and it 
was from that individual that I made the figure in the plate. The 
eggs, four in number, were almost equally rounded at both ends, 
though somewhat elongated, and their ground colour was white, with 
a livid tinge, scarcely discernible however amid the numerous markings 
and blotches of reddish-chocolate with which they were irregularly 
covered. The second opportunity which I had of seeing a nest of this 
species occurred not far from Louisville in Kentucky, when I acciden- 
tally observed one of these hawks dive into the hollow prong of a bro- 
ken branch of a sycamore overhanging the waters of the Ohio. Here 
the eggs were five in number, and deposited on the mouldering frag- 
ments of the decayed wood. ‘The third and last opportunity happened 
when I was on my way from Henderson to St Genevieve, on horse- 
back. I saw a pair of these birds forming a nest in the forks of a low 
oak, in a grove in the centre of the prairie which I was then crossing. 
The young in the nest I have never seen. 
This interesting species usually resorts to the fissures of rocks for 
the purpose of there passing the hours of repose, and generally in places 
by no means easy of access, such as precipitous declivities overhanging 
some turbulent stream, It is often not until the darkness has so much 
gained on the daylight as to render objects difficult to be distinguish- 
ed, that it betakes itself to its place of rest, and then I have only 
