44 BIRDS OF PREY. 



every morning of the season. This plaintive echoing note 

 resembles somewhat the garrulous complaint of the Jay, kee-oo, 

 kee-oo, kee-oo, continued with but little intermission sometimes 

 for near twenty minutes. At length it becomes loud and im- 

 patient ; but on being distantly answered by the mate, the 

 sound softens and becomes plaintive like kee-oo. This morn- 

 ing call is uttered most loudly and incessantly by the male, 

 inquiring for his adventurous mate, wnom the uncertain result 

 of the chase has perhaps separated from him for the night. 

 As this species is noways shy, and very easily approached, I 

 have had the opportunity of studying it closely. At length, 

 but in no haste, I observed the female approach and take her 

 station on the same lofty, decayed limb with her companion, 

 who, grateful for this attention, plumed the feathers of his 

 mate with all the assiduous fondness of a Dove. Intent upon 

 her meal, however, she soon flew off to a distance, while the 

 male still remained on his perch, dressing up his beautiful 

 feathers for near half an hour, often shaking his tail, like some 

 of the lesser birds, and occasionally taking an indifferent sur- 

 vey of the hosts of small chirping birds which surrounded him, 

 who followed without alarm their occupation of gleaning seeds 

 and berries for subsistence. I have occasionally observed 

 them perched on low bushes and stakes in the rice-fields, re- 

 maining thus for half an hour at a time, and then darting after 

 their prey as it comes in sight. I saw one descend upon a 

 Plover, as I thought, and Wilson remarks their living on these 

 birds. Larks, and Sandpipers. The same pair that I watched 

 also hung on the rear of a flock of cow-buntings which were 

 feeding and scratching around them. They sometimes attack 

 squirrels, as I have been informed, and Wilson charges them 

 with preying also upon Ducks. 



I never observed them to soar, at least in winter, their time 

 being passed very much in indolence and in watching for 

 their game. Their flight is almost as easy and noiseless as 

 that of the Owl. In the early part of the month of March 

 they were breeding in West Florida, and seemed to choose 

 the densest thickets and not to build at any great height from 



