Jan., 1914 NOTES ON NESTING OF THE SHARP-SHINNED HAWK 19 to the nest and kept up a constant call; the male followed close to where I was standing and swooped at my head; shortly afterwards the female made a swoop direct from the nest and just grazed my head. I moved out of the thicket and both birds followed, perching eight or ten feet from me, uttering'their shrill cries, and darting at my head at short intervals. I finally started back down hill and stopping fifty yards or more from the thicket looked up just in time to see the male hawk coming straight for me. I waved my hat and he circled and made for a tall tree near the nest, seeming satisfied that he had finally driven me away. July IO I visited the nest late in the afternoon. It had been raining all day aud had just cleared up for a short respite. On reaching the nest I found the young ones had gained considerably in size; the sheathed feathers at the wing tips were about one-half inch long; their general appearance in color varied from pinkish Fig. 13. NEAR VIEW OF TWO OF THE YOUNG SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS; AGES 9 AND 10 DAYS; PHO?OGRAPHED JULY 12 white to a dull yellow; the birds were able to hold their heads high and showed signs of resentment when I stroked them. There were no signs of food, and the old birds were not as ferocious as usual. July I2 I reached the nesting ground about IO .a.M. I stopped about I5O yards from the thicket and was looking for signs of the old birds when I noticed the male hawk coming lily way straight for my head. He sailed within a few feet of me, circled, and lit in a tall tree nearby. Reaching the nest tree I arranged the camera outfit in a sack and ascended to the nest. From the time I started climb- ing until I had made three exposures of the young in the nest, the female hawk struck at me thirty-nine times. Her wings often struck against my shoulders. The male struck three times, one good rap on my back with his wings. I had to keep my head as close to the tree trunk as possible to avoid claws.
