a good deal of interest in it myself, I also take it for granted that 
others have followed the discussion with interest ; and so I am 
prompted to give here some notes of my own of observations 
made during a residence of something over two years in South- 
ern Florida. 
Early in my sojourn there I was told of instances in point by 
some of the old ‘Crackers,’ all bearing out the assumption that 
these birds do find their food by the sense of smell, at times un- 
aided by sight, and I often found opportunity for observing the 
habits of these birds in this respect. 
When I first located in Florida, in the year 1884, the festive 
and rather racy razor-back descendant of the Guinea hog and a 
very thin shadow of the past, was quite plenty in the immediate 
neighborhood of my home. 
and generally fewer than five. It, too, was more dainty m its 
feeding, nearly always pulling the feathers before eating. It was 
fond of insects, especially preferring grasshoppers, and at^fi'.ogs 
and fish vGtlr apparent relish. This the Accipiter did only when 
■ very hungry, 
If any preferences^ shown by these -Hawks in the selection 
of food, it was for food inttii»»^m of warm birds. And I expe- 
rienced some difficulty iij,.piUcunTtgi,^ough Sparrows for them. 
I wished to supplyTn abundance the''^(iod they preferred, in 
order to make the conditions of their grmStli^rost favorable, 
and^furtlrer to test their effect upon physical organfeatjon. The 
effects were apparent in larger size and more robust physique. 
were pi^tty thoroughly dried off, and a strong morning breeze 
was blowing, — and, ascending by soaring circles high into the 
air, drift off across the wind, till, apparently striking a scent, 
they would in a body move away up the wind to disappear in 
the distance, or, as in several instances in my knowledge, to locate 
and settle upon carrion known to me, or within my sight. 
I have also seen them drifting along ■with the wind till, strik- 
ing a scent, they would work back up the wind, and settle down 
to'feast. Taking into account the fact that they had drifted some 
way past the spot at last located, before locating it, it would 
seem to prove that they had not seen it in passing at first, but 
only took cognizance of it after striking the current of ail which 
carried the scent. 
