Sharp Shinned Hawk. — In the paper on 
this little Hawk in the February number 
by J. M. W., it is stated that the earliest 
eggs ever taken by the writer was on May 
15th, and the first full clutch on May 23d. 
On May 5th, 1880, 1 found a nest with two 
splendidly marked eggs, and neither of the 
old birds were about the nest. On visit- 
ing it again three days later, May 8th, the 
female was sitting on the eggs, and on 
climbing to the nest, which contained four 
eggs, the last two of which were not so 
cleanly cut in the markings as the first two, 
the female left the nest for a neighboring 
tree, when I shot her. 
The above nest was built in a black 
spruce twenty feet from the ground, and 
very nicely hollowed out, but without lin- 
ing. When we take into consideration the 
difference in latitude, this must be consid- 
ered early nesting. — ,7. W. J3., St. Johns. 
O.&O, Vll.Apr. 1882. p. 
XT tir’F’nsr Baptores.'N'umberlbggstD- 
New Eng. Bap ^ Carpenter: 
Sharp-shinned Hawk, (Accipiter velox). 
94 sets of 4 
37 “ “ 6 
O.&O. XII. Oct, 1887 P.167 
A PhiladelpliiaCollection of Bggsof 
the Raptores. 
Accipiter fuscm. Sharp-shinned Hawk. One 
set of seven, three sets of five, eleven sets of 
four, three sets of tliree. Total : eighteen sets, 
seventy-five eggs. 
O.&O. XIV. Mar. 1889 p.45 
^ May 27, in a clump of Maples in a 
swamp of dense undergrowth found the 
nest of the Sh inne d Hawk. It con- 
tained four eggs advanced in incubation, 
which proves that these little Accipitres do 
not always wait until June ere they begin 
housekeeping. 
- /r>V. If , 
O'f-O.TK. . /to . 
! * 
-.aptores, Bristol Oonnty, Mass. 
I Hilton B. Read. 
Sliarp-shiuned Hawk, {Accipiter fuscus) . This 
little accipiter is not eoininon in our county aud 
instances of their breeding are few. Such as 
we have received, however, are authentic. 
Their nests were found in pines with one 
exceiition, and that was in a maple tree, in a 
thick swamp, and it further proved to be an 
exception, by the date at which it was found to 
contain its complement of eggs, well ad- 
vanced in incubation. May 27th, an unusually 
early date for these birds, who do not usually 
lay their eggs before the first week in June. 
The number of eggs to a set is four, no other 
number being found. They differ from those 
of its Congener, {A. cooperi), in having the 
ground color often obscured by splashes of 
different shades of brown. 
This species has been observed in winter and 
we have two instances of its being taken at 
such times. Jan. 21, Ilehoboth, (Bakerj, Dec. 
28, ’79, Seekonk, (Miller). As it has been con- 
sidered rare to find them in winter, I deemed 
it proper to cite the above instances. 
0,& O. XII. Aug. 1887 p.119 
