large, as compared with the size of the 

 bird, varying in diameter from twenty 

 to thirty inches, outside measurement. 

 The walls are usually constructed with 

 twigs and lined with smaller ones and 

 strips of the fibrous inner bark of conif- 

 erous trees. Instances have been re- 

 ported in which the walls were nearly 

 eight inches in thickness. 



As a rule the Sharp-shinned Hawk 

 does not defend its nest from the attack 

 of intruders. There are, however, a few 



instances recorded in which both the male 

 and female birds fought a person who 

 was climbing to their nest, by repeatedly 

 striking at the intruder. 



As befits a bird that possesses such a 

 character as that of the Sharp-shinned 

 Hawk, it is practically a voiceless bird 

 and seldom utters a sound except when 

 its nest is approached. At such times 

 its cries have been described as like those 

 of a flicker. 



BIRDS ON THE WING, 



In a picturesque little hill-town in 

 eastern Massachusetts, where I was 

 spending the summer, I had opportunities 

 for studying birds, their language, and 

 their customs. I shall not soon forget 

 a remarkable sight in the heavens on 

 the evening of August 26. I was sud- 

 denly attracted by an unusual twittering 

 and calling of the birds, and, on looking 

 out of a window, I saw a multitude of 

 birds of various sizes, from the tiniest of 

 hare-birds, or sparrows, to birds as large 

 as robins, flying in all directions and 

 filling the air, it seemed, with their songs 

 and their soft little notes. Ah, I thought, 

 the birds are having a gala day, a picnic, 

 or a ball, or perhaps a regatta. They 

 were sailing, soaring, whirling, diving, 

 dipping, in intricate mazes, yet with a 

 certain method that was both bewildering 

 and charming. Perhaps they were trying 

 their wings for their southern journey; 

 perhaps they were merely taking; a twi- 

 light constitutional en masse. The hour 

 was a little past six o'clock. The south- 

 ern sky was pale blue, overspread with 

 soft, translucent clouds of opaline hues, 

 paling and flushing — a most fascinating 

 picture of itself, and a fine background 

 for the 1)ird parade. All around great 

 trees rose in 1)illowy masses of emerald 

 green, maples and elms predominating; 

 while, stan(hiig like tall sentinels, two 

 giant Lombardy poplars rose above them 



all, looking straight up to the heavens. 

 In pauses of the dance the birds seemed 

 to sink into these bowers of green, and 

 for a few moments no bird was seen. 

 Then, from somewhere, one came sailing 

 through the air, then two, then three, 

 with little notes of command, as when 

 the leader of an orchestra with his baton 

 begins the overture, and then a general 

 rush of wings and the whirling and 

 wheeling and dipping and darting was 

 again in full play. 



This display of bird maneuvring con- 

 tinued for about half an hour. I viewed 

 it from a doorway where I could com- 

 mand the whole scene, which was en- 

 chanting and something which I had 

 never before seen. 



I have not the presumption to sup- 

 pose that it was a field-day review got- 

 ten up for my especial benefit ; 3^et I 

 enjoyed it quite as much as if it were. 



It is possible that they were swallows 

 out on a foraging expedition, for the day 

 before a shower of small, green flies 

 swept through the air, lighting here and 

 there and everywhere within its radius. 

 Perhaps the birds had discovered a school 

 of these flies in the air and took sudden 

 advantage of the aerial sporting grounds. 

 Whatever may have been the occasion, I 

 winder if such bird parades are often 



SCCMI. M. D. TOLMAN. 



