376 REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 



R. I.; ten from Connecticut and sixteen from Massachusetts. * * * 

 Mr. Cash writes me that this is the most remarkable flight of goshawks 

 in his section since 1870, the numbers exceeding those of that date. He 

 also states that hunters have reported a great abundance of ruffed grouse, 

 and examination showed that a large percentage of these hawks had been 

 feeding on this noble game bird. * * * A careful examination of the 

 stomachs of forty-eight specimens showed the following results: twenty- 

 eight contained the flesh and feathers of the ruffed grouse, in one instance 

 a whole foot being found ; five contained the flesh and feathers of domestic 

 fowl; four contained partly digested flesh not identified, and the stomachs 

 of eleven were entirely empty. One specimen * * * when shot was 

 standing on the body of a ruffed grouse which she had just killed." 



A number of other reports from all parts of the north and east are 

 given, testifying to a similar abundance of the American goshawk. There 

 can be no question but that these destructive birds of prey were responsible 

 for a tremendous loss of life among the grouse during the six months they 

 were with us. 



3. By far the most generally accepted theory accounting for the 

 scarcity of the ruffed grouse, is that it is due to the exceptionally cold, 

 wet and late spring of 1907 chilling the eggs and killing such of the young 

 birds as were successfully hatched. 



This has been given as the probable explanation by many sportsmen 

 and game wardens in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, 

 Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, and from the fol- 

 lowing counties in New York: Broome, Cattaraugus, Chemung, Cortland, 

 Dutchess, Essex, Franklin, Greene, Herkimer, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, 

 Onondaga, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, St. Lawrence, 

 Saratoga, Schoharie, Suffolk (Long Island), Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, 

 Warren and Westchester. 



Mr. Mathewson, game protector in Oswego county, N. Y., reports: 

 " Lots of nests found with abandoned eggs." 



In Jefferson county, N. Y., a nest was watched, and only one out of 

 the clutch of thirteen eggs hatched out. 



Mr. Charles H. Mowry, president of the Anglers' Association of Onon- 

 daga County, in speaking of the grouse scarcity said: " Last spring was 

 cold and backward and nests of frozen eggs were found." 



