﻿Ornithological Field Notes. 



11 



This is the first recorded instance of its capture in the State of Ohio, 

 south of Columbus, Prof. J. M. Wheaton, in his Report on Birds of 

 Ohio, in Report on Geological Survey of Ohio, vol. 4, p. 423, published 

 in 1882, speaks of this bird as "not identified in Southern Ohio." 



Astur atricapillus [Wils.], Bp. — American Goshawk. — This bird, 

 a female, in immature plumage, was taken during November, 1882 

 within the limits of Cincinnati, Jide Shorten. The skin is in my col. 

 lection. This is the second bird of this species whose capture in 

 Southern Ohio is recorded. The facts as to the first bird of this 

 species are noted * by Dr. F. W. Langdon, on the authority of Mr, 

 Charles Dury, as follows : i; A single specimen, female, in immature 

 plumage, taken twenty miles east of Cincinnati, in November, 1878:" 

 It is interesting to observe the following coincidences, viz. : that both 

 of these birds are young females, and both were taken in the same 

 month of the year, viz. : November. 



Loxia curvirostra Americana [Wils.], Coues. — American Cross- 

 bill. — At the settlement known as Otter Lake Tannery, Lewis county 

 N. Y., on Friday, September 28, 1883, I met Mr. Charles J. Crandall' 

 residing there, and he informed me that this species of birds were ex- 

 ceedingly fond of salt. He pointed out a spot in the rear of the 

 grocery, where the refuse salt from the barrels from which the pork 

 had been taken was usually thrown, and stated that the Cross-bills 

 were accustomed to come daity in numbers and feecl upon the refuse 

 salt — that latterly the birds had been somewhat shy, having been 

 repeatedly driven away by the boys, who had begun to throw stones 

 at them. On the evening of the same clay I reached the little house 

 of Francis A. Young, on Otter Lake, in Herkimer County, N. Y., and 

 on my mentioning what Mr. Crandall had said, respecting the fond- 

 ness of the Cross-bills for salt, Mr. Young corroborated the statement, 

 and informed me that these Cross-bills came around his house for a 

 similar purpose. Early the next morning, about an hour after sunrise, 

 I found the Cross-bills began to perch upon that side of the peaked 

 roof of his house which was next to where the refuse salt and other 

 matters were thrown out. I killed one, and afterwards took two more 

 perching upon the roof. Later, I saw a flock of some seven perching 

 on the same side of the roof. While all the other descriptions of 

 birds, of which a great variety was present, remained in the trees, the 

 Cross bills perched on the roof of the house, except when frightened 

 away by the too near discharge of the gun. 



* See Cat. of Birds of Cincinnati, 1879, by Frank W. Langdon, p. 14, No. 159. 



