SPRING AT THE CAPITAL 133 



respect indentical with those of our common hen or 

 red-tailed hawk. They sail along in the same calm, 

 effortless, interminable manner, and sweep around 

 in the same ample spirals. The shape of their 

 wings and tail, indeed their entire effect against the 

 sky, except in size and color, is very nearly the 

 same as that of the hawk mentioned. A dozen at 

 a time may often be seen high in air, amusing them- 

 selves by sailing serenely round and round in the 

 same circle. 



They are less active and vigilant than the hawk ; 

 never poise themselves on the wing, never dive and 

 gambol in the air, and never swoop down upon their 

 prey; unlike the hawks also, they appear to have no 

 enemies. The crow fights the hawk, and the king- 

 bird and crow blackbird fight the crow ; but neither 

 takes any notice of the buzzard. He excites the 

 enmity of none, for the reason that he molests none. 

 The crow has an old grudge against the hawk, be- 

 cause the hawk robs the crow's nest and carries off 

 his young; the kingbird's quarrel Avith the crow is 

 upon the same grounds. But the buzzard never 

 attacks live game, or feeds upon new flesh when old 

 can be had. 



In May, like the crows, they nearly all disappear 

 very suddenly, probably to their breeding-haunts 

 near the seashore. Do the males separate from the 

 females at this time, and go by themselves? At 

 any rate, in July I discovered that a large number 

 of buzzards roosted in some woods near Rock Creek, 

 about a mile from the city limits; and, as they do 



