In the following list of the birds of Goffstown and vicinity I have endeavored to present: (1) time of spring arrival; (2) most probable locality in each case; (3) notes on habits, food and description.

In regard to the migratory birds, the list may be a trifle incomplete as I have omitted everything about which I am in doubt. I am confident that it is one that can be depended upon.

The numbers preceding the different species refer to the nomenclature and sequence of the American Ornithologists' Union checklist, edition of 1910.

The sheldrake, as he is commonly called, is seen on the river here in early spring. The adult male is noticeable with his predominating white plumage. He is about 25 inches in length.

Black ducks are not uncommon during the migrations. They may then be seen on the river and small bodies of water.

Canada or wild geese pass through Goffstown semi-annually on their journey covering several thousand miles. In the spring migration I have seen them as early as March 24 and as late as April 22.

Bitterns come north in April and stay into October. A sound emitted by them, resembling that produced by driving a stake with a maul or axe, has given them the common name "stake-driver." They measure about 28 inches in length. In the breeding season they are not often found here, as they prefer larger tracts of swamp and marsh.

The great blue Heron is a common migrant. In April and again in August and later they are not uncommon. I have never found a nest here. The food of this and of other herons consists of frogs, fishes and small reptiles captured by still hunting. Length, 42 to 50 inches.

Summer resident along the river and small bodies of water. Length, 17 inches.

These birds are active after sunset. I have seen small flocks at dusk flying from one feeding ground to another, occasionally uttering a loud "quawk." This heron breeds in colonies, but I know of no such breeding place in Goffstown.

The woodcock is one of the first spring arrivals and during the spring, summer and fall is found in alder runs and other moist tangled places, cornfields, or among the gray birches on high ground. It is much sought after by sportsmen. Not as numerous as formerly.

This bird, also known as "teeter-bird," arrives from the south early in spring and is common around the river and other bodies of water in town. The nest is built on the ground, often in cultivated fields; eggs are four in number.

At the present time the killdeer's presence here is accidental only. April 5 this year (1919) I saw two individuals. He is a beautiful bird about 10 1/2 inches long. He may be distinguished by his cry "kill dee, kill dee," and ring around neck band across breast and rufous-colored rump.

Quail are rare of late years. Many seasons I do not once hear their clear notes "Bob-white!" They do not migrate and our winters are as a rule too severe for them to survive. We once found a bob-white's nest on the farm at Pattee Hill on August 3 containing twenty-one white eggs nearly incubated.

This bird is a permanent resident and fairly common in spite of persistent hunters and many natural enemies. The nest is placed on the ground in the woods, usually at the base of a tree. Some nests I have found contained eggs as follows: May 1, five eggs; May 8, ten eggs; May 21, thirteen eggs; May 21, eleven eggs. The young run about as soon as hatched and can fly when about a week old.

I have seen the mourning dove here a few times but its occurrence is irregular. Massachusetts is near the northern limit of its range. It is often mistaken for the wild pigeon which is probably extinct, but is smaller, being about 12 inches in length.

Summer resident. I have seen the marsh hawk as early as March 19; average date of arrival is about April 2. He may be known by his gray upper parts, white rump and habit of flying low over fields and meadows for its prey.

This hawk is of great benefit to the farmer and orchardist as he seldom troubles poultry or small birds, and subsists almost entirely upon the injurious field mice. The nest is built on the ground in grassy swamps; eggs dull white or pale bluish-white.

The sharp-shinned is a summer resident and quite common from April to November. This is one of our most noxious birds as it is most destructive of small birds and poultry. It is about 12 inches long, larger than the sparrow hawk and small than the Cooper's hawk. The tail is square-tipped and barred. They nest in trees 15 to 40 feet up; eggs three to six.

This species is a summer resident for about the same period as the last; it is also similar in color and habits, but by reason of its larger size is even more destructive and deserves no protection.

This hawk is an irregular winter visitant and has the general habits of the two proceeding species, but is even bolder and more daring than either. Poultry and game birds constitute the greater part of its diet. Length, 22 inches.

This species is sometimes seen by the middle of March. It, like the following species, is much given to soaring in wide circles high above the earth. If near enough it may be distinguished from the red-shouldered by its tail which shows reddish above and white beneath, while the red-shouldered has light and dark bands on the underside.

This hawk is seen about the woods from March to November. When soaring high in the air it utters its screaming cry "Keé-you, Keé-you" or "Teé-ur, Teé-ur." To show that the red-shouldered is the farmer's ally I quote from the examinations of stomachs made by Dr. Fisher of the United States Department of Agriculture: "Of 220 stomachs examined only three contained poultry." The nest is in trees 30 to 60 fee up; eggs dull white, blotched with brown.

This hawk is seen at times and maybe known by its acute wings and steady, rapid flight. Probably does not breed here. Length, 10 to 13 inches.

This beautiful little hawk is a summer resident in small numbers. It may be regarded as the farmer's friend as it is almost exclusively insectivorous. The sparrow hawk chooses an old stub or dead tree in a pasture for a perch, where he can watch the ground below for his prey. Length, 10 inches. He nests inn holes in trees; eggs three to seven, creamy-white to rufous, marked with shades of the ground color.

The osprey does not breed here but a few individuals are seen, generally in April, flying over the Piscataquog River to catch fish which constitute their diet. As they wing their way slowly over the water at a height of 30 or 40 feet or even higher they keep a watch for fish near the surface. Seeing one they hover a moment, then drop, frequently with force enough to make a splash, and bear the prey in talons to a favorite perch to devour it.

Specimens of the barred owl have been taken in town. He is 20 inches long, with no ear-tufts.

This owl may be known by its small size and conspicuous ear-tufts about an inch long. His tremulous notes are well-known, and may be heard especially on fall and winter evenings. Of 255 stomachs examined by Dr. Fisher only one contained poultry, the rest mice, insects, etc. The screech owl is less than 10 inches in length; nests in hollow trees, laying four to six white eggs.

This species is a permanent resident, but the disappearance of our large woods has a tendency to make it less common. When a wood lot in the north part of town was cut off a few years ago a nest containing young was found in a pine tree.

Its usual call is a loud "whoo! hoo! hoo! hoo! whoo! whoo!" and can be heard a long distance. This owl is quite destructive to poultry, grouse, and other birds.

The snowy owl is an occasional visitor from the far north.

This species I have recorded as early as May 7. Cuckoos are valuable birds to the farmer, as they have a fondness for caterpillars, particularly the hairy species, and consume enormous quantities. I have found the cuckoo's nest in low apple trees at a distance from houses.

This species is about 12 inches in length, grayish-brown above and white below. It has a rapid flight and on alighting in a tree takes immediately a hidden position.

The kingfisher arrives on the Piscataquog River about April 20. His call or scream resembles a loud rattle. His food consists almost wholly of fish. His next is a hole or tunnel in the river bank at the end of which are laid five to eight white eggs.

The hairy woodpecker is a permanent resident. He spends more of his time in the woods than the downy, but is occasionally seen in the orchard. Nests generally in a dead tree; four to six white eggs.

This is the smallest and most common woodpecker we have and is here throughout the year. The hairy and downy are almost alike in plumage but the downy is nearly three inches shorter; another distinction is in the outer tail-feathers, those of the hairy being white while those of the downy are white barred with black. In the fall both species excavate holes in trees in which to spend the winter nights.

I have seen this species only in the fall, evidently migrating.

This, our largest and wildest woodpecker, is nearly as large as the crow and rarely to be seen or heard outside of the heavy timber. At different times of year I have heard their loud cackle in such woods in this region, where I have no doubt they breed. It is not uncommon in the woods to come across a scarred pine tree into which the big fellow has chiselled a hole as deep as 5 to 6 inches and extracted a borer. In the spring, like the smaller woodpeckers, he plays loud tattoos on dry limbs with his bill, or "rolls his drum"; this is supposed to be a mating call.

The flicker, yellow-hammer, high-hole, hairy-wicket, as he is variously called, does not winter here. I have heard his long loud call on February 26, but generally not before March. The habits of the Flicker differ from those of our other woodpeckers. He is found more in the open fields. Ants constitute about 45 per cent of its food. The nest is drilled out of a tree from 4 to 40 feet from the ground; eggs white, five to nine in number.

My earliest record of the appearance of this bird is April 25 and the latest May 8. He is familiar to every one by his nocturnal habits and his peculiar song. He passed the day on or near the ground in the woods.

In appearance the whip-por-will differs from the nighthawk by having shorter wings and long rounded tail and by the absence of the white spot on each wing. No next is built, the two eggs being laid on the ground or leaves in the woods.

The nighthawk season is from about the middle of May to September 1. This is one of our most useful birds, its food consisting wholly of insects, especially mosquitoes, which are taken on the wing. It is most likely to be seen about sundown, or on cloudy days, when it mounts high in the air in pursuit of insects. Its flight is very rapid and graceful, punctuated at intervals by a short note or squeak. Occasionally it dives toward the earth at great speed, then suddenly checks its descent by an upward turn, and produces a loud booming sound at this point. No nest is made, the two eggs being laid on the bare ground or rock.

I have seen the hummingbird as early as May 14. This is the only species of hummingbird in America east of the Mississippi. Only the male has the ruby throat. The nest is a very small affair saddled on a limb of a tree and contains two white eggs about the size of pea beans.