128 



THE OOLOGIST. 



Some of Our Falconidae. 



Foremost among the hawks of this region 

 appears the Eed Shouldered Hawk (Buteo 

 lineatus.) 



It is too well known as a bird to require 

 much description, excepting as regards its 

 breeding habits. In this region fresh eggs 

 may be obtained from April 1st to May 1st. 



They build their nests in tall trees, and 

 saemto prefer low swampy land, covered 

 with a growth of tall timber to any other, 

 as a nesting place. The nest is composed of 

 sticks and lined with evergreen, with now 

 and then a feather. The lied Shouldered 

 hawk lays from two to four eggs, which aver- 

 age 1 :18 inches by 1 :70 inches in size, but 

 they vary considerably, The eggs are of a 

 bluish color, spotted and blotched with dif- 

 ferent shades of reddish brown. Sometimes 

 the coloring is very obscure, as in a set of 

 four eggs which I took this spring. 



Pigeon Hawk. 



This is a very rare hawk, about here at 

 least. As yet I have not been fortunate 

 enough to secure any eggs, but in an inac- 

 cessible stub, sixty feet from the ground, a 

 pair breeds in safety each year. 



In appearance this species is a "pocket 

 edition, " so to speak of the Duck Hawk. 

 Its feet are slender and its tail is nearly 

 square. It averages twelve inches in length 

 and twenty-one inches in breadth. Its back 

 and head are dark brown, and its tail is 

 crossed like that of the Eed Shouldered 

 Hawk by light brown or gray. 



The Pigeon Hawk is shy and cautious 

 and exceedingly hard to approach. Its food 

 consists of robins, sparrows etc., with an 

 occasional mouse. 



This species roams over the greater part 

 of North America, and is not uncommon 

 near Great Slave and Great Bear Lakes. 



Red Tailed Hawk. 



The Eed Tailed hawk is not often found 

 hereabouts, but during the season, I have 

 secured a set of three fine eggs of this spe- 

 cies, together with the female bird. The 

 nest was in a tall oak tree, and was com- 



posed of sticks, lined with coarse grasses. 

 The eggs were beauties, being heavily mark- 

 ed with umber and brown, averaging 2.42 

 by 2.05 inches, This was the second nest I 

 ever found. 



They usually hunt in pairs, sitting on a 

 broken tree, and darting after their prey 

 at the proper time. 



Coopee's Hawk. 



Accipiter Uooperi is common here, audit 

 breeds abundantly. Its nest is placed in tall 

 trees, and is composed of sticks and bark. 

 The egps, which numbers from two to four, 

 are marked, on a bluish- white ground, with 

 brown. Their usual size 1.95 by 1.58 

 inches. This hawk is the " Chicken hawk" 

 of farmers, but its proper food is mice and 

 small biros. " Accepiter," is quite shy, 

 and will usually desert its nest if climbed up 

 to. 



Maesh Hawk. 



This bird is generally distributed through- 

 out temperate North America. As a rule, 

 it is quite abundant here, nesting on the 

 ground in low damp places. This species 

 lays from three to six bluish eggs, sometimes 

 marked faintly with brown, but usually im- 

 maculate. They measure 1.80 by 1.40 

 inches. 



The food of "Uircua" is mice, fro^s. liz- 

 ards and small snakes. It is a strong flyer, 

 but does not soar to any great height upon 

 ordinary occasions. Its cry is shrill and im- 

 patient resembling "pee pee pee." 



Spakkow Hawk. 



This sprightly little hawk is well known, 

 but is often confounded with the Pigeon 

 Hawk. I recall an instance of this kind, 

 when a fellow told me where there was a 

 Pigeon hawks nest, and offered to take me 

 to it. I accepted his offer, and was piloted 

 about six miles through "New Testament 

 Swamp, " as it is called and shown a tall tree 

 with a hollow limb, out of which projected 

 a few twigs. Neither of the parent birds 

 were m sight. I strapped on my climbers 

 and ascended the wicked looking elm stub. 

 I threw the bird out of the nest and took no 



