184 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



migration and in thinly settled localities, especially about the edges of woods and 

 the bush-grown borders of fields, where small birds abound. It preys largely on 

 Sparrows and to some extent, also, on Robins in pursuit of which it frequently 

 enters apple orchards near farm buildings. 



On May 23, 1870, a nest of the Sharp-shinned Hawk containing five fresh 

 eggs was found by my friend, the late Mr. Frank P. Atkinson, in a white pine 

 swamp in East Lexington about half a mile to the westward of Rock Meadow. 

 This is the only instance known to me of the breeding of the Sharp-shinned 

 Hawk within the limits covered by the present Memoir. 



81. Accipiter cooperii (Bonap.). 

 Cooper's Hawk. 



Common transient visitor in spring and autumn and not uncommon summer resident ; also 

 found occasionally in winter. 



SEASONAL OCCURRENCE. 



April 10 — October 20. (Winter.) 



NESTING DATES. 



May 5 — 20. 



Cooper's Hawk is a much more wary and retiring bird than the Sharp- 

 shinned Hawk. I have met with it oftenest in the wilder parts of Belmont, 

 Lexington, Arlington, and Waltham, where its favorite haunts are extensive tracts 

 of woodland, especially such as abound in white pines and other evergreen trees. 

 I also used to see it not infrequently in the region just to the westward of Mount 

 Auburn. When in pursuit of its prey, which consists largely of such birds as 

 Robins, Catbirds, Brown Thrashers, Meadowlarks, and Cuckoos, it often visits 

 fields and meadows, but excepting when attracted by the presence of young 

 chickens, which it seems to prefer to all other birds, it seldom approaches houses 

 or cultivated grounds. I have occasionally seen it passing over densely popu- 

 lated parts of Cambridge during migration, but have never known it to alight 

 there at any season. 



Nests of Cooper's Hawk have been found rather frequently along the 

 western borders of the Cambridge Region, especially in Waltham. I have a 

 set of five eggs which I took on May 8, 1880, from a nest in pitch pine woods 

 near Arlington Heights. 



