Green Eggs of the Red-tailed Hawk. 
The Berkshires and other wooded hills 
which surround this valley afford ideal nest- 
ing sites for Buteo borealis. I think I am 
safe in saying that the Red-tail is our most 
abundant breeding Hawk ; and although I 
take a few sets of eggs each season, I had 
never dreamed I should have the pleasure 
of collecting a set of the rare tint which 
furnishes the title for this article. 
Early afield, for a short trip before busi- 
ness hours, on the morning of April 16, 
1891, I found what I pronounced a new 
: nest of the Red-tailed Hawk, in a big pine 
on the very top of Sheldon Hill. The next 
morning I saw the birds at the nest, and on 
the 2 1 st I secured a fine set of two fresh 
eggs. They are of a beautiful greenish 
shade in ground color, so deep and bright 
that it is at once perceptible even by lamp- 
light. One of the eggs is unmarked, with 
I the exception of a few faint specks and lines 
| of lilac. The markings on the other egg are 
| of a delicate shade of lilac and fawn color, 
distributed over the entire egg in large 
flakes. They are truly a beautiful and 
unique set. Sizes, 2.39 x 1.81, 2.25 x 1.83. 
The nest was by actual measurement 71 
j feet from the ground, placed in a rather 
unusual position, being saddled on to a 
large limb, close to the body of the tree, and 
1 held in position by several small branches. 
I The owners were the first of this species to 
leneu. cigciiiisi me ucc , iu o caotpi 
in this manner where the trees are as large 
as this one was, even if you have got 
climbers. Both male and female again 
came back and showed fight, swooping down 
through the tree while the eggs were being 
packed preparatory to lowering them with 
the line. I was delighted to again find 
r. 43 
the same emerald hue as the set 
it season. They are of a deeper 
| green than that set. There is no 
r difference in the markings of the 
I; both are specked, spotted, and 
over the entire surface with bright 
brown. Large, handsome eggs. 
37 x 1.88, 2.42 xx. 84. They con- 
•ge embryos. 
ition to the above two sets I have 
her green egg of the Red-tailed 
A boy living at Hancock, Mass., 
is the line from their town, early in 
1 , set several steel traps for foxes 
ie carcass of a horse, but caught a 
g Red-tails. He took them home 
them into a box, where the female 
losited a single egg. This I pur- 
)on after it was laid. Comparing it 
jeries of Heron’s eggs, I find the 
green as deep as the average eggs 
Jz virescens. Size, 2.32 x 1.79. 
Benjamin Iloag. 
intown > N d W » Y dVol-18, Mar. 1893 P.42-43 
