courtship is soon over and then the happy pair fly away in company to select a 

 suitable nesting-site. Nest-building occupies about one week. The nest is usually 

 placed rather high in an evergreen tree, in some sequestered locality. More rarely 

 it is located in a deciduous tree, in a hollow tree, or on some lofty ledge or cliff. 

 Sometimes an old Crow's nest or a squirrel's nest is utilized as a basis upon which 

 to construct the home. In this case the nest is a large, conspicuous structure ; but, 

 ordinarilv, it is not very noticeable, and, in some cases, it is well concealed by the 

 foliage. It usually consists of a platform of sticks, resting on a whorl of branches 

 and fixed against the trunk of the tree. Dry grasses and strips of bark are usually 

 placed upon this foundation and interwoven to form the nest lining. Some nests 

 are less skillfully formed and are unlined. 



The eggs vary in number from three to five, and are pale white, greenish or 

 bluish white, very heavily blotched, spotted and marked with light brown, dark 

 brown, drab, fawn and lavender. These markings often form a ring about some 

 part of the egg. Both sexes join in incubation, and in the care of the young, which. 

 when first hatched, are covered with soft white down. 



The young are confined to the nest for about four weeks. Then they begin to 

 climb and flutter about among the branches ; but, if undisturbed, they remain in 

 the vicinity of the nest for several weeks longer, where they are still fed by the 

 parents. The woods now resound with their shrill, squealing cries. Having finally 

 strengthened their wings by exercise among the tree-tops, they attempt longer 

 flights, and soon leave their home forever. 



This bird is a model of activity and courage. Probably none of the raptorial 

 birds is proportionately its superior in prowess. Its every movement is marked 

 by nervous haste. It is fierce, swift, impetuous — the embodiment of ferocity and 

 rapacity. It does not hesitate to attack birds much larger than itself. .Mr. C. J. 

 Maynard tells of one that struck a Night Heron in mid-air, dashing it to the 

 ground. Not seldom it strikes and kills other birds or mammals so large that it 

 cannot carry them away. It has been known to kill and carry off a young pullet 

 so heavy that its toes dragged on the ground. I saw a clamorous Crow follow one 

 of these Hawks and attack it, but the little bird turned on the sable tormentor and 

 drove it ignominiously from the field. Indeed, the (_"row was fortunate to escape 

 with its life, so fast and furious was the onslaught of its small, but spirited 

 antagonist. Occasionally a mob of Bluejays will follow and malign one of these 

 Hawks until it becomes enraged and dashes to earth one of the screaming crew, 

 all of whom hasten to escape, leaving their comrade to its fate. 



This Hawk hunts forest, orchard, field and meadow. In wooded regions is 

 ver}' destructive to young poultry. Being small and inconspicuous, it can glide 

 quietly into a tree near the poultry-yard, and, watching its chance, dash down 

 diagonally at breathless speed, seize a chicken, and get away before the startled 

 mother hen can come to the rescue. I have even seen the villain sitting impudently 

 upon the gate-post of a chicken-yard, awaiting its chance; but more often it comes 

 low over the ground, jtist clearing the fence-tops, and is gone with its prey in a 

 moment. A single pair of these Hawks has been known to get twenty or thirty 



553 



