ORNITHOLOGIST 
—AND — 
OOLOGIST. 
— — Q XV! ; <t/P/^ f 
$1.00 per PUBLISHED BY FRANK B. WEBSTER. Single Copy 
Annum. Established, March, 1875. 10 cents. 
Vol. XVI. HYDE PARK, MASS., JANUARY, 1891. No. 1. 
A Series of Eggs of the Red- 
shouldered Hawk. 
By tabulating recent data I have found that 
twenty -seven per cent of the eggs of the Red- 
shouldered Buteo taken here in the late mild 
seasons have been in sets of four. The distribu- 
tion of my eggs will prevent me at this late date 
from writing at length on the individual charac- 
teristics and distinguishing markings upon a 
series of eggs from the same Hawks. When my 
Buteon' eggs lay side by side in thirteen 
yearly accessions from the same localities the 
family likeness or race lines was most clearly 
shown. It did not even need the eye of an ex- 
pert to note this. More than once have I asked 
a novice in oology to pick out the eggs laid by 
the same Hawk, and he would go from case 
to case and indicate the eggs almost uner- 
ri ugly. 
While collecting these sets every spring, 
whether from old sites or new nests, I would 
recognize the ear marks on the eggs of my 
old friends as a fancier would tell his White 
Leghorns from his Partridge Cochins, or his 
Dunghills from his Asiatics. There were the 
Hell (late Hawks, Plain Hill, the Sunnyside, 
and the Cranberry Bog Hawks; all easily de- 
termined by peculiarities in a long series of 
their eggs. The vraisernblanee would con- 
stantly hold good as to shape, size and num- 
ber, blotchings and sub-surface indications. It 
would be gratifying if other collectors, taking 
a long yearly series of eggs from one locality, 
would give us a few notes upon the recurrence 
of individual types in their eggs of Bed- 
shouldered Hawks. J. M. IV. 
No attempt lias ever been made to describe 
in detail the wonderful variations to which 
eggs of the Red-shouldered Hawk ( Buteo line- 
atus) are subject. For many years the cele- 
brated oologist “J. M. W.” (Mr. C. L. Rawson) 
has devoted much time to collecting fine series 
of eggs of this bird, and in obtaining desirable 
specimens lie liad of necessity to discard 
many sets which were nest stained and 
marked in a commonplace manner. Every 
year, however, lie was able to add several 
sets which were noticeable either for beauty 
of coloration, odd form, or some peculiarity. 
Keeping also a number of typical sets, in time, 
his collection of the eggs of this Hawk be- 
came the finest and the most complete in the 
world. Some years ago lie went over it with 
the greatest care and selected all the hand- 
somest, oddest, and most typical sets, and 
presented them to me in the most generous 
manner. Every year since he has sent me 
some more fine sets — the best of his taking — 
until the series described below now contains 
fifty eight sets of bis collecting. The remain- 
ing nineteen sets from other collectors were 
selected either to show geographical distribu- 
tion or for their oddity or beauty. 
'1 aken as a whole the present series of eggs 
of this Hawk certainly is the largest, finest, 
and most complete in existence. 
Mr. Rawson has also kindly allowed me to 
use his field notes. 
Set I. May 2, 1872. Rensselaer, N. Y. 
Collected by .J. 11. Beatty. Nest in chestnut 
tree, forty-five feet up. Three eggs, fresh. Dull 
white; one of them marked at the smaller end 
with large spots of burnt umber; another is 
sprinkled all over with small spots of ecru 
drab; while the third lias large spots of tawny 
olive near the larger end : 2.04 x I .(10; 2 . 11 x 1.74; 
2. 11 x 1.71. 
Set II. April 2:5, 1882. Wooded run near 
Peg’s Chase, Lcdyard, New' London Co., Cf. ( 
Collected by“J. M. W.” “New nest, well 
feathered, raised 011 old foundation of Crow 
and Gray Squirrel. Female tried to slip away 
unperceived, as the nest, in big-bodied chest- 
nut, was approached.” Three eggs, fresh. 
One broken. Pure wiiite, very delicately 
marked with small scrawling lines of burnt 
Copyright, 181)1, by Frank B. Webster. 
