No. 20.] THE BIRDS OF CONNECTICUT. 277 



devours numbers of the large caterpillars so destructive to forests 

 and shade trees. The Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks 

 stay with us all the year, breeding in tall trees ; the former, on 

 the hills of the interior, the latter, in the marshy woodlands near 

 the coast; but the Broad-winged is common only for a limited 

 time in the fall. 



Of 562 stomachs of the Red-tailed Hawk reported by Dr. 

 Fisher, 54 contained poultr}^ or game birds; 51, other birds; 278, 

 mice ; 131, other mammals ; t^J, batrachians or reptiles ; 47, insects ; 

 8, crawfish; i, centipeds ; 13, offal; and 89 were empty. From 

 this study Dr. Fisher has found that at least 85 per cent of the 

 food of this hawk is composed of injurious rodents ; which cer- 

 tainly shows it deserves protection. Of 173 stomachs examined 

 by Dr. Warren, 128 contained mice, and once he found 7 mice in 

 one stomach (" Birds of Penn.," 1888, p. 86). Mr. C. L. Rawson 

 has reported finding near Norwich in one nest of this hawk the 

 remains of 9 red squirrels, and of 7 in another (Ornithologist 

 and Oologist, Vol. 8, 1883, p. 17). Of five stomachs examined 

 by the author, one was empty, and four contained mammals, 

 chiefly squirrels. 



Regarding the Red-shouldered Hawk, our most common 

 breeding species near the coast. Dr. Fisher writes, " It is ex- 

 tremely improbable that this slow-flying Hawk often captures 

 birds, except such as are disabled," and quotes a letter from Mr. 

 J. Alden Loring, of Owego, Tioga County, New York : " The 

 pair reared their young for two years in a small swampy piece of 

 woods about 50 rods from a poultry farm which contained 800 

 young chickens and 400 ducks, and the keeper told me he had 

 never seen hawks attempt to catch one." Dr. Fisher reports that, 

 of 220 stomachs examined, 3 contained poultry; 12, other birds; 

 102, mice ; 40, other mammals ; 20, reptiles ; 39, batrachians ; 92, 

 insects; 16, spiders; 7, crawfish; i, earthworms; 2, offal; 3, fish; 

 and 14 were empty. Dr. Warren found field mice in 43 of 57 

 stomachs examined. Of 9 stomachs examined by the author, 5 

 were empty; 3 contained mammals; i, a snake; and 2, insects. 



About the Broad-winged Hawk, Dr. Fisher reports that, of 

 65 stomachs examined, 2 contained small birds; 15, mice; 13, 

 other mammals; 11, reptiles; 13, batrachians; 30, insects; 2, earth- 

 worms ; 4, crawfish ; and 7 were empty. Of 12 stomachs examined 



