BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY. 991 
crease their numbers. They were very fat, and, considered 
as delicate as the Rice bird, Dolichonyx orizivorus, in Octo- . 
ber. 
It may be proper here to state that the climate, during the 
past thirty-eight years, has undergone no change other than 
a slight diminution in the quantity of snow. ` 
The species to which I desire to call particular attention 
are 
l. Pigeon Hawk (Hypotriorchis columbarius). During 
the early autumn, when the Reed-birds (Dolichonices), have 
gathered in the marshy meadows, and the Red-winged Star- 
lings (Agelaii), fairly blacken the drier lowlands; when 
the “Flicker” (Colaptes), is rattling off the thin bark from 
the hickories, and congregated Blue-birds twitter from every 
panel of fence ; when the unsought Meadow-lark ( Sturnella) 
challenges you to discover his retreat, with his saucy “ you- 
can't see-me," and timid snipe (Gallinago), with a nervous 
"scape" endeavor to avoid the gunner's aim with a most ec- 
centrie flight, —then really are the days proper of our birds 
of prey, and all of our species, from the magnificent Black- 
hawk ( Archibuteo Sancti-Johannis), to the saucy Sparrow- 
hawk ( Tinnunculus sparverius), are more or less abundant. 
Ever on the alert for wounded birds or rash Meadow-mice, 
they sail over the meadows from morning till night and add 
no little charm to the attractive scene; but while all this is 
the order of the day upon the lowlands, there is skulking 
along the fences of the uplands, and about the yards of the 
farm-houses, a shy, cunning falcon, ever watching the 
farmer’s poultry and pouncing thereupon continually. We 
refer to the Pigeon-hawk (Hypotriorchis columbarius), a 
species numerous throughout autumn and winter, but espec- 
ially interesting from the fact that it remains throughout the 
year quite frequently. 
In May, 1863, a nest of this species, with young birds 
just able to fly, was found by the writer in a large sycamore, 
on Duck Island, Delaware River, near Trenton, N. J. In 
AMER. NATURALIST, VOL. IV. 68 
