110 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
List of Birds collected by J. K. Lord, F.Z.S., and presented by the 
British North American Boundary Commission to the Royal Artillery 
Institution . 
Whilst making the Zoological collection for the British Museum, it was 
suggested by Captain Haig, B.A., Chief Astronomer to the Commission, 
that any duplicates would be valued by the Royal Artillery Institution. 
Colonel Hawkins, R.E., Chief Commissioner, kindly and readily gave his 
consent. The following list contains the birds collected by myself, and by 
direction of Colonel Hawkins presented to the Institution. 
The Mammals and Insects will appear in a future list. 
Falco sparverius .— (Linn). 
The Sparrow Hawk. Range, from the coast to the Rocky Mountains; nests in 
May and June. This hawk is very abundant, especially on Yaucouver Island, 
feeds principally on insects, and congregates in large numbers on the open prairies 
where the locusts and grasshoppers are plentiful; arrives at the island in May and 
June, and at Colville about the same time. Where the Spokan river winds through 
the Spokan prairies, small patches of timber here and there grow on the bank of the 
stream. About midsummer I noticed vast numbers of these hawks, young and 
old, congregated on the patches of timber, they were feeding on the field cricket 
(Acheta nigra), and must have nested in the adjoining pine forest. 
Astur atricapillus .— (Wilson). 
The Goshawk. I first shot this hawk at Boundary Creek in September. I also 
saw it at Osoyoos Lake and on the Shemilkameen river, but never on the west side 
of the Cascade Mountains. It arrives in the interior in May and June, nests early, 
choosing crevices in high rocks as its breeding place, leaves again in October to go 
south. Dr Suckly mentions it (Natural History, W. Territory, Yol. I.) as being 
common on the Nesqually plains. 
Circus hudsonius .— (Linn.) 
The Marsh Harrier. Yery abundant from the coast to the summit of the 
Rocky Mountains; arrives in May and June, nests early, and always on the ground; 
nest built of grass, sticks, leaves, and root fibre, eggs laid at long intervals. I have 
often seen one young bird nearly fit to leave the nest when the smallest is but just 
hatched out, the young are fed principally on snakes and lizards; they generally 
have two broods, the second as late as August. This hawk is also very common on 
Vancouver Island. 
Pandion carolinensis .— (Gmelin) . 
The American Osprey. The osprey is found on nearly every river and lake 
from the coast to the west slope of the Rocky Mountains; it is also quite as plentiful 
on the lakes and streams in Vancouver Island. They quit the streams inland on 
the approach of severe winter weather, and retire to the coast or go south. The nest 
of the osprey is a most conspicuous object, and can be seen from a long distance; it 
is invariably built on the extreme summit of a dead pine tree, made of dry sticks, 
and in size as large as an imperial bushel. The ospreys use the same nest year after 
year; the number of young usually three. There was a particularly large nest in 
