60 Wyoming Experiment Station. 



numerable nests of game birds by destroying the vermin which 

 eat the grain, girdle the trees, and devour the eggs and young 

 of the birds. 



"The Marsh Hawk is unquestionably one of the most bene- 

 ficial as it is one of the most abundant hawks, and its presence 

 and increase should be encouraged in every way possible, not 

 only by protecting it by law, but by disseminating a knowledge 

 of the benefits it confers. It is probably the most active and de- 

 termined foe of meadow mice and ground squirrels, destroy- 

 ing greater numbers of these pests than any other species, and 

 this fact alone should entitle it to protection, even if it de- 

 stroyed no other injurious animals." 



The Wyoming records are from all parts of the state and 

 the stomach contents reported are usually mice and ground 

 squirrels. 



332. Accipiter velox. (Wils.). 

 Sharp-shinned Hawk. 



Summer resident ; common. A daring bird eater. An en- 

 emy to the domestic fowls, as well as to the beneficial small 

 birds. Fisher refers to this bird as follows (Hawks and Owls 

 of the United States, pp. 32-33.) : 



"The food of this hawk consists chiefly of birds of vari- 

 ous sizes, from the smallest of our warblers to the Passenger 

 Pigeon and young chicken, the latter appearing to afford a 

 special temptation to it, as has been above related. I am also 

 aware that it feeds occasionally on small reptiles and insects, 

 and I shot the male represented in the plate, on wing, whilst 

 it held in its claws the small Shrew also represented. 



"Little can be said in favor of this hawk although its dar- 

 ing, courage, and impudence are to be admired. On this and 

 the two following species mainly rest the responsibility for the 

 ill favor with which the other hawks are regarded. A score of 

 valuable species suffer because they belong to a class which in- 

 cludes two or three noxious kinds. However, like most vil- 



