Notes on the Sharp-shinned Hawk. 
The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a resident with 
us, but not at all common, especially during 
the summer months. 
I have only succeeded in finding two nests 
in a number of years’ collecting. 
The first was found about May, 1878, in a 
grove of small pines ; situated in one of them, 
and about twenty feet from the ground. It 
contained five eggs, which I secured. 
About two weeks later, in passing near the 
nest, I decided to take another look at it. 
I did so, and also took a second set of 
eggs from it. There were four in this clutch, 
and they were smaller than the first ones and 
not so finely marked. 
My second nest was found May 29, 1892, 
and discovered to me by the actions of the 
birds, as when I was about fifty yards from it 
they both came flying about me and became 
very noisy. 
This nest was also in a pine tree, close in 
to the trunk and resting at the base of a limb. 
It was thirty-five feet up, and composed of 
pine twigs, without lining of any kind. 
While I was at the nest both birds sat in 
a tree about twenty feet distant and seemed 
very much disturbed at my presence. Sev- 
eral times they darted close to my head and 
perched within a few feet of me, but at the 
least movement would fly off a short distance. 
The eggs, which were very slightly incu- 
bated, were five in number and are as follows, 
the ground color in all being a grayish white : 
No. I. A little more pointed than any of 
the others. Marked mostly about the centre 
with a wreath of burnt umber and russet, the 
rest of the egg being covered with small light 
brown spots : T.41 x 1.21. 
No. 2. Marked with a broad band of burnt 
umber and russet in the centre, the rest of the 
egg being covered with small light brown 
specks ; 1.41 x 1.19. 
No. 3. About one-half marked with burnt 
umber, forming a sort of cap to the egg, the 
balance slightly marked with small spots of 
light brown : 1.41 x 1.17. 
No. 4. Marked about the larger end with 
burnt umber and russet, the rest of the egg 
being covered with splashes and spots of 
light brown : 1.40x1.21. 
No. 5. In this egg the ground color is a 
clearer white than in any of the others. 
Marked around the centre with a wreath or 
band of russet and a little burnt umber. 
This is the only egg in the set showing any 
lilac, it having a few splashes of this color, 
principally toward the larger end. It is by 
far the most handsome egg in the clutch. 
In all of them the umber looks as if it had 
been slightly washed in some places. 
Thinking I might take a second clutch 
from this nest, as in the one previously found, 
I went back to it about two weeks later, but 
it was apparently deserted as there were no 
birds to be seen. 
I also looked at it this last spring (1893), 
but without success. 
Two other nests, of which I have record, 
were found in pine trees, one in a cedar tree, 
and one was in a hole formed by the rotting 
of a limb of a chestnut tree. This latter was 
occupied for two consecutive years and then 
the tree was cut down. 
All of these nests were in Baltimore 
County, Maryland. 
William H Fisher. 
Baltimore, Md. O.V 0 I.I 8 , Sept.1893 p.l32 
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