THE ROBBERS OF THE FALLS 



to find eggs still in the nest. But each one had a hole 

 in it and a yellow hooked bill sticking through. *' Your 

 birthday will be the Broadwings' birthday," I said to 

 Ned. 



From time to time we came and photographed the 

 young in both nests until they were ready to leave, in 

 early July, and also the young Cooper's Hawks, only two 

 of which hatched. I had placed a dummy camera six 

 feet away in the next hemlock, after the young hatched, 

 but I did not get time to experiment on the mother. 

 She was a shy rascal and one could hardly get a 

 glimpse at her, even by stealing toward the nest on tip- 

 toe. One day I went to the nest, leaving Ned at the 

 foot of the great fall sailing chip boats. This time 

 Mrs. Cooper came to meet me and, perched on a 

 low branch quite near, gave me a terrible scolding. 

 Ned could not hear my yells above the roar of the 

 cataract, so I went to summon him for the fine sight, 

 but when I returned with him the hawk had gotten 

 over her sudden streak of boldness and taken herself 

 off. 



By far the best way to get familiar with hawks is to 

 find their nests and then from time to time visit them 

 at home and study their habits. At other times one 

 can get only occasional glimpses at them, as they soar 

 overhead, or dive into the poultry yard, or dash upon 

 one in the woods, or perch upon some tree by the road- 

 side. But one can learn more of hawks in a season by 

 finding a few of their nests than would be possible 



47 



