FLEETWING THE SPARROW HAWK 139 



I also understood why the smaller birds keep near trees. 

 I had never realized that hawks can not so easily catch a 

 bird when it is in a tree. 



When the first little chickens were hatched I placed two 

 hundred in a coop on the grass not far from Fleetwing's 

 nest. I felt safe in doing this because a sparrow hawk is 

 not supposed often to feed on chickens ; but within a day or 

 two they began to disappear. Now began a real battle of 

 wits. I got a gun, a thing which I had not had in years, and 

 determined to shoot the hawks ; but they succeeded in out- 

 witting me. They managed to get three or four little 

 chickens every day; and while I might see them catch a 

 chicken, it was always either when I did not have my gun 

 or when I was too far away to shoot. I spent hours watch- 

 ing for the hawks, but they never came near until I left. 

 I did succeed, however, in learning exactly how these 

 birds kill their prey, for I not only saw them do it at 

 close range, but succeeded in scaring them away without 

 their having time to carry the chick with them. The 

 hawk watches until he feels sure of his prey, then swoops 

 downward straight as an arrow, strikes the bird in the 

 back vdth his talons, and with his powerful beak tears the 

 top of the head off. The point of the beak is sunk into the 

 base of the skull, and the skull is torn off with a swift for- 

 ward motion. I succeeded in getting a number of chick- 

 ens immediately after the hawk struck them, and every 

 one had the whole upper part of the skull torn off, the 

 brain exposed, and the medulla mangled with the point of 

 the hawk's beak. After having watched this I felt much 

 less antipathy toward hawks. True they kill for food, but 

 they kill in a merciful and painless way, their method 

 being instantaneous and almost painless. I have watched 



