THE DUCK HAWK, ETC. 157 



later than usual, which may be owing to the late snows 

 and unusual coldness of the weather this year during- the 

 first half of April. 



Location and Description of the Eyrie. The situation 

 of the eyrie was near the highest part of the mountain, 

 about one-third of the length of the mountian from the 

 south end, on a narrow shelf in the rock, eight or ten feet 

 from the top of a nearly perpendicular cliff, one hundred 

 and fifty or two hundred feet in height, and was inaccess- 

 able except to a bold climber, and at one particular point. 

 The nest was merely a slight excavation sufficient to 

 contain the eggs ; no accessary material had been added. 

 The site had been previously occupied, and probably for 

 several years ; and for weeks before the eggs were laid 

 was carefully guarded by the bold and watchful birds. 



Description of the eggs. The eggs, four in number, as 

 already stated, differ greatly both in shape and coloring, 

 the extremes in either being Avidely diverse. They are 

 described in detail, and probably in the same order as laid. 



No. 1. Longer diameter, 2.18 inches ; shorter diameter 

 1.71 inches ; the shorter diameter is .885 the longer. The 

 form is somewhat ovoid, one end being slightly larger 

 than the other ; but neither end is very pointed ; the 

 point of greatest transverse diameter is .645 the length of 

 egg from the smallest end. In form this egg is very 

 nearly like the egg from Greenland, figured by Dr. Brewer 

 in the "North American Oology" (pt. I, pi. II, fig. 11) The 

 general color is chocolate-brown, darker and more dense 

 and uniform about the ends, the part about the middle 

 being lighter, varied with small irregular blotches and 

 specks of a darker tint than the ground color. The color 

 of the smaller end is nearly a uniform dull red-ocher. 

 There is also an irregular belt of scattered and apparently 

 very superficial blotches of very dark-brown, or nearly 

 black. Something similar is often noticed on the eggs of 

 many birds that lay brown or speckled eggs. 



No. 2. Longer diameter 2.21 inches ; shorter diameter 

 1.67 inches ; shorter diameter .755 the longer. Form 

 nearly an ellipsoid, the point of greatest transverse diame- 

 ter being scarcely to one side of the middle (.54 the length 

 of the egg from the smaller end ); ends very nearly equal 



