ei ae ll al 
THE RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. 39 
always an easy matter, as our beech-trees are not only very 
smooth, but frequently without ‘any boughs to a considerable dis- 
tance from the ground, as well as of rather large size), the female 
bird, if she happens to be sitting, flies off silently, and alights on a 
neighboring tree to wait the result; but should the male, who 
supplies her with food, and assists in incubation, be there, or make 
his appearance, he immediately sets up a hue and cry, and plunges 
toward the assailant with such violence as to astonish him. 
“ When, on several occasions, I have had the tree, on which the 
nest was placed, cut down, I have observed the same pair, a few 
days after, build another nest on a tree not far distant from the 
spot in which the first one had been. 
“The mutual attachment of the male and the female continues 
during life. They usually hunt in pairs during the whole year; 
and, although they build a new nest every spring, they are fond of 
resorting to the same parts of the woods for that purpose.! 
“The young remain in the nest until fully fledged, and are fed 
by the parents for several weeks after they have begun to fly ; but 
leave them, and begin to shift for themselves, in about a month, 
when they disperse, and hunt separately, until the approach of the 
succeeding spring, at which time they pair. 
“This Hawk seldom attacks any kind of poultry, and yet fre- 
quently pounces on partridges, doves, or wild pigeons, as well as 
red-winged blackbirds, and now and then young rabbits. On one 
or two occasions, I have seen them make their appearance at the 
report of my gun, and try to rob me of some blue-winged teals, 
shot in small ponds. I have never seen them chase any other 
small birds than those mentioned, or quadrupeds of smaller size 
than the Cotton Rat.” 
My experience has been different from the above para- 
graph; for [ have known of this Hawk attacking poultry, 
and, even several times in the same flock, killing a fowl each 
time. The breeding habits of this and the Red-tailed Hawk 
are so exactly similar, that the above description well 
answers for both. 
1 I have known of the same nest being occupied by a pair of these birds for 
several seasons. —E. A. S. 
