G. II. Merriam — liirds of Connecticut. 79 



eggs from five of them. lie says, " It is hold niid fearless, often div- 

 ing within a feM' rods of the farmer and seizing his chickens. If once 

 introduced to tlie young poultry' you may rest assured of a daily call 

 till all are gone, unless you are fortunate enough to secure the intru- 

 der. I once saw one of these Hawks seize a chicken on a very steep 

 side-hill, close beside the old hen. In an instant the enraged mother 

 flew upon the thief, and both came tumbling down the hill, clinched 

 together; running up, I was just about to grasp the Hawk when they 

 parted. It sometimes attacks full grown poultry with success. A 

 gentleman once informed me that, ' while standing by his wood-pile, 

 close by the house, one of these birds dove upon a full grown rooster, 

 within six; or eight rods of him. The fowl ran some two or three 

 rods and dropped dead. The Hawk soon returned to devour his 

 game, as it was too heavy for him to carry away, but his audacity 

 cost him his life.' "* 



In the old colonial days, when every man spelled as best suited his 

 own fan(!y, the difterent kinds of Hawks did not pass unnoticed, for in 

 1632 Morton wrote : " There are Hawkes in New England of 5. sorts, 

 and these of all other fether fowles I must not omitt, to speake of, 

 nor neede I to make any A])ology for my selfe, concerning anv tres- 

 pass, that I am like to make upon my judgment, concerning the 

 nature of them, having bin bred in so genious a way, that I had the 

 common use of them in England : and at my first arrivall in those 

 parts practiced to take a Lannaret, which I reclaimed, trained, and 

 made flying in a fortnight, the same being a passinger at Michuelmas. 

 I found that these are most excellent Mettell, rank winged, well con- 

 ditioned, and not tickleish footed, and having whoods, bels, luers, 

 and all things fitting, was desirous to make experiment of that kinde 

 of Ilawke, before any other. And I am perswaded : that nature hath 

 ordained them to be of a farre better kinde, then any that liave bin 

 used in England. "f It seems to me that there is little doubt but that 

 the above remarks refer to Cooper's Hawk. 



159. Astur atricapilluS (Wilson) Jardine. (ioshawk. 



Rather rare, and somewhat irregular, winter visitant. Said to 

 breed, occasionally, as far south as INIassachusetts (Maynard and 

 Minot), 



* Hartford Times, chap, ix, May 18th, 18G1. 



t New English Canaan. By Thomas Morton, p. 49. 1G32. [Reprinted in Force's 

 Hist. Tracts, vol. ii, T. 5.] 



