A male (June 26) somewhat older, but still in first plumage, differs from the specimen just described in having the dark streaks broader and blacker, the wing-bands nearly pure white, and the under parts less strongly ochraceous.
4. Ægiothus linaria. Common Red-poll.—In his list of the birds of the Magdalen Islands,[[127]] Mr. Cory included this species “with great hesitation,” a single specimen, so badly mangled that it could not be positively identified, being the only one which came under his notice. Mr. Frazar, however, found it abundant on both Amherst and Grindstone Islands where many large flocks were seen feeding among the spruces. Owing to lack of time and the pressure of other duties he secured only two specimens, but as these are both in first plumage the breeding of the species there may be considered assured. The following description is taken from the younger of the two examples just mentioned.
Juv., first plumage (♂, Magdalen Islands, June 29, 1882. M. A. Frazar). Entire plumage of the head and body, excepting the throat, cheeks, and abdomen, thickly and coarsely streaked with dull black on a pale ochraceous or brownish-white ground; tips of the greater and middle wing-coverts with the outer edges of the tertials, ochraceous-white; throat black; cheeks brownish-ochraceous; center of the abdomen brownish-white and immaculate; no red on the vertex.
5. Falco columbarius. Pigeon Hawk.—A set of four eggs from Amherst Island was taken under the following circumstances: Mr. Frazar was passing a spruce-clad knoll surrounded by a boggy swamp, when he noticed a pair of Pigeon Hawks circling above the trees. Approaching, he quickly discovered their nest, built in a dense spruce at the intersection of a horizontal branch with the main stem and at a height of about ten feet. As he climbed the tree the Hawks, now thoroughly alarmed for the safety of their charge, dashed wildly about his head, frequently passing within a few feet and uttering shrill screams of anger or dismay. After taking the eggs he made a close examination of the nest, which was found to be very bulky—in fact “as large as a Crow’s,” and composed chiefly of bark with some coarse sticks surrounding the exterior, and a neat, soft lining of finer bark and horse-hair. From its general appearance he felt convinced that it was constructed by the Hawks themselves. This was June 9; returning five days later he found both birds flying about the knoll and their actions indicated that they had built another nest somewhere near, but it could not be found. As he was then on the point of leaving the island he shot the male, a fine adult specimen which accompanies the eggs.
The latter, now before me, are almost perfectly elliptical in shape, and measure respectively 1.57 × 1.27, 1.55 × 1.23, 1.59 × 1.24, and 1.56 × 1.25. The ground-color, in three of them, is apparently pinkish-buff, but this is almost wholly overlaid by numerous, nearly confluent blotches of dilute chocolate and purplish-brown which, with a few black spots and dashes, are uniformly spread over the entire surface of the shell. The fourth specimen has some immaculate spaces of creamy-buff about the smaller end, although the markings elsewhere are even denser than in the other three. The general coloring of these eggs is extremely rich and handsome and, excepting in size, they bear a close resemblance to the notoriously beautiful egg of the Duck Hawk.—William Brewster, Cambridge, Mass.
Second Addendum to the Preliminary List of Birds ascertained to occur in the Adirondack region, Northeastern New York.[[128]]
186. Telmatodytes palustris. Long-billed Marsh Wren.—Dr. A. K. Fisher writes me that he took a nest and three eggs of this species at Lake George, in Warren Co., August 2, 1882.
187. Passer domesticus. House Sparrow.—Common in the villages along the outskirts of the wilderness, on both sides of the Adirondacks.
188. Squatarola helvetica. Black-bellied Plover.—Occurs along Lake Champlain during the migration.
189. Charadrius dominicus. Golden Plover.—Very common about Lake Champlain during October in some seasons.