400 



THE COOPKR HAWK. 



Buteos, who, with good conscience sail about in the open and are shot for 

 it. The Cooper Hawk is seldom seen except in the shelter of the woods, or 

 as he is making a quick dash into some populous chicken-yard. The audacity 

 of the bird on these occasions is particularly exasperating, and his move- 

 ments are often so quick that identification is impossible, except as one rea- 

 sons from facts already known. If you take his advances in good part (or 

 if you don't, unless you are very handy with a gun), the bird will come 

 hack day after day until the chicken supply is exhausted. 



Of the bird's "way in the air" Captain Bendire says: "The flight of 

 Cooper's Hawk is both easy and graceful, and ordinarily not especially swift. 



YOUNG COOPER HAWKS 



He may most often be seen skimming along close to the ground, in rather a 

 desultory manner, usually skirting the edges of open woods or clearings; 

 hut once in sight and in active pursuit of its selected prey, it darts in and out 

 through the densest thickets with amazing swiftness, where it would seem 

 impossible for it to follow successfully: especially is this the case when 

 chasing some small bird that generally tries to take refuge in such places. It 

 manages, however, with the assistance of its long tail, which helps it very 

 materially, to turn suddenly and double with remarkable ease, even in dense 



