No. 20.] THE BIRDS OF CONNECTICUT. 



79 



more branches leave it, very rarely in the fork of a limb at some 

 distance from the trunk (L. B. B.). Material: sticks, frequently 

 lined with pieces of hemlock, cedar, pine, or ground pine (83, 

 L. B. B.), or without evergreen (11, L. B. B.), or lined with 

 leaves (C. L. R.). Oftentimes feathered. Old nests of crows 

 and other hawks often utilized. 



Eggs. 2-s, usually 3 or 4; about the middle of April. Set 

 of 5 (L. B. B.), sets of 4 (17, L. B. B., 14, C. L. R.), sets of 3 

 (57, L. B. B., 27, C. L. R.), sets of 2 (25, L. B. B., 13, C. L. 

 R.), sets of I (3, L. B. B.). Eggs from the same wood and 

 probably from the same birds have usually a certain resemblance 

 in size, color, or markings. The number of eggs in the first set 

 seems to depend largely on the weather in March, a warm open 

 March with little snow being followed by large sets, a cold and 

 stormy March by small sets. The most heavily marked egg is 

 usually laid first. 



Nesting dates. EaHiest record. March 30, 1894, two eggs 

 (L. B. B.). Latest record. May 6, 1901, two eggs (L. B. B.). 

 Late sets. May 28, 1899, four eggs (Hill, New London) ; June i, 

 1884, two eggs (C. L. R., Norwich). 



In actions at the nest these hawks vary greatly individually; 

 some leaving silently almost as soon as one enters the woods and 

 not returning, others waiting until the tree is struck before leav- 

 ing the nest, when they perch near by, crying frequently, and 

 swooping to within ten feet of the climber. As a rule, however, 

 the degree of solicitude shown depends on the length of incuba- 

 tion of the eggs; the nearer the eggs are to hatching, the more 

 anxiously the hawks protect them. 



The egg of a Barred Owl in the nest of a Red-shouldered 

 Hawk has twice been found by L. B. B. ; both times in the same 

 piece of woodland, which had been reduced from an extensive 

 tract by wood-choppers, thus leaving few suitable nesting-places 

 for large birds. One (April 13, 1901) contained three eggs of 

 the Hawk and one of the Barred Owl, with the Owl on the nest; 

 the other (April i, 1902) contained two eggs of the Hawk and 

 one of the Barred Owl, with the Red-shouldered Hawk on the 

 nest. As the hawks' eggs were in both instances further ad- 

 vanced in incubation, this species was probably the original 

 owner of both nests. 



