1) 
OUNJTllOLOdlST 
[Vul. G-No. 1. 
Sparrow Hawk. 
Breedino at Portland, Conn.— In ]\Iay 
1879 I secured a set of eggs of Fulco spnr- 
verius found in such a manner as to prove 
that this Hawk does not always, if ever, 
construct a nest of its own. 
A farmer had arranged seven nests for 
Pigeons inside his l)arn, with holes through 
the side of the l)uilding communicating 
with them, and the nest at the corner was 
appropriated by the Hawks, and contained 
no other material than that tised by the 
Pigeons in constructing it. May 4th two 
eggs were found, and May 7th four eggs, 
at which time they were all removed. Two 
or three days later another egg was laid 
and then the birds deserted the nest. In 
order to show tint peace prevailed, it may 
1)6 stated that the Pigeons occupied three 
of the other nests at the same time the 
Hawks were endeavoring to raise their 
brood. The farmers boy informed me that 
the Hawks had been about the barn all the 
previous winter, and altliough continually 
disturbed while laying, I found them cpiite 
tame; the female not moving until after 
the board (which covered all the nests) had 
been removed, and then only Hying t) an 
apple ti-ee near the barn, where she was 
soon joined by her mate, and the two sat 
contentelly arranging their plum ige in the 
sunlight as unconcerned as a pair of the 
pigeons with which they were breeding 
would have done under similar circum¬ 
stances. 
Sharp SHINNED Hawk. — I have a specimen 
of the male Sh irp-shinned Hawk {Accipi- 
ter fuscus) tiken in this vicinity Feb. 4th, 
1881. It was in good Hesh and contained 
the remains of l*arus utricipil/us and 
Chrysomitris trinti.s. .\nother specimen 
was seen at the same time Imt unfortunately 
was not captured. 
Merriam in his “Review of (kinn. Birds’ 
in writing of the Sharji-shinned Hawk says, 
“ I have no an hen tic record of its occur 
rence here in wint(‘r. ” The taking of this 
specimen in winter in this locality is inter 
eating. — Jno. H. Saoe. 
Night Herons in Winter. 
In the Oologist for September your cor¬ 
respondent. IM. B. G. states, that in Feb¬ 
ruary, 1879 he shot two adult males, one 
adult female, and one young Night Heron, 
during cold weather; ground covered with 
snow and creeks frozen. It has been gen¬ 
erally supposed this bird was only a sum¬ 
mer visitor. I can add my testimony 
showing they are not so tender to cold as 
some suin^ose. The following winter, ’79 
and ’80, I had a tame Night Heron which 
I reared the previous summer, but with 
full liberty to go where he pleased. I 
reared two, but one “took the wings of the 
night " and did not return ; before winter 
the other took long flights at twilight but 
always retunied ; was never absent in the 
morning when he exjiected his rations. He 
sat in evergreen trees ojiiiosite the house, 
or sunned himself on the fence: was very 
affectionate to the family, not stirring 
when we apjiroached him very closely, and 
would run or fly after those who fed him. 
taking meat from the hand. He would go 
in the detached kitciien, but not in the 
house further than the door, not the least 
afraid of cat or dog; and should they ven¬ 
ture within the reach of his long sharp- 
pointed bill would have reason to remem¬ 
ber it. I supjiosed he would die when 
winter set in, which w'as a cold one, yet he 
seemed not to mind it, he even seemed in 
better condition than poultry ; was hearty 
and sleek. He roosted on the evergreen 
trees at night, taking shelter on the stooj) 
in hard weather ; he would eat nothing but 
meat or flsli. I will not enlarge on the 
considerable amusement he gave us, but 
simply verify the statements of your cor- 
rt'spondent. that cold did not seem so un¬ 
congenial. — Henry Haljx Bidgewood.N.J. 
IjE.\st Bittern. — Mr. Fred. T. Jencks of 
Providence, B. 1., rejunts inirchasing a 
bi*auliful spe<‘imen of the above bird which 
had been killed by a boy with a bean snap¬ 
per on Feb. 28. 1881. Where hud this del¬ 
icate biid siient the winter t 
