^98 THE SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. 



of brush or weed, or else retire (|uickly tn thick foliage, there to await with 

 (he patience of a statue the tirst stirriiit^s nf the frightened quarry. Tiie 

 prey when caught is held at "arm's length" until quite dead, and then either 

 eaten on the spot or else carried uj) tn simie elevated perch. 



Swallows, thru superior agilitx', are nearly exempt from Sharp-shin's 

 depredations. Besides being nimble. Swallows are no mean fighters them- 

 selves. Mr. C. W. Bowdes cmce witnessed an unprovoked attack of a Sharj)- 

 shin upon a Barn Swallow, in which the tables were neatly turned upon the 

 assailant. The Swallow managed always to keep above his insolent foe, and 

 harassed head and back so \-igorously that the ^nvvy Hessian beat an igno- 

 minious retreat. 



Sharp-shinned Hawks may be seen on either siile of ilic Cascades both 

 winter and summer, liut they are far commoner during migrations. They 

 travel singly or in jiairs, and the appearance of one brings an instant hush to 

 the morning chorus. (Jccasionally the ohser\er gets a perfect view of a 

 Sharp-shin as it comes unexpectedly in sight over some woodland opening, 

 and takes a curious tiu-n about overhead, displaying as it sails the finely-barred 

 pattern of its wing-linings and its long square-ended tail: but nftcner the bird 

 is aware of }'iiur ])resence in advance and keeps waril_\' out of range. It is 

 sometimes seen in the neighborhood of the ]30ultry house, and is quite equal 

 to carrying ofl a chick or young pullet unless prevented. 



It is idle to try to speak a g 1 wurd U>v this gory little Hawk; rodents 



and insects are eaten only occasionally, while birds of every size up to jjigeons 

 and quails are its regular diet. Accoi-<ling to Dr. Fisher, of 107 st(imachs 

 e.xamined containing food, 6 held pnultry or game birds, "99, other birds; 

 6, mice : 5, insects." 



Since these birds bear such a character, Air. r)(.)wles may be allowed to 

 ])oint with pride to an elegant series of their eggs which adorns his collection. 

 A set varies in number from three to seven, but four or five is customary. 

 They are among the handsomest of eggs, not only because of their contrasting 

 hues, but because of their wide variation. The ground color is always a delicate 

 greenish white but the markings are of lilac, brown, green, or red, and vary 

 in size from a pin-point to irregular blotches covering half the egg. 



The birds a])pear to be mated upon ;u'ri\al. aliout the mi(l<lle of .\i)ril, 

 but the nest is not prepared before the middle of the following month. The 

 nest is usuallv placed in an evergreen close to the trunk and at a height from 

 the ground of from twent\' to tift\- feet. Occasionally an old s(|uirrel nest 

 is utilized, tho oftener the birds build their own nest, of small sticks neatly 

 lined with smaller twigs, and of so loose a construction that light appears 

 thru any part of it when viewed from belnw. 



Both birds assist in the duties of incubation, and they are unusually brave 

 in the matter of sticking to the nest under fire. No amount of rajiping on the 



