492 THE MARSH HAWK. 
the squeakings of the victim had quite ceased, did the captor rise and disappear 
by rapid flight into the wood, 
The flight of the Pygmy Owl is not muffled by softened wing-linings, 
as is the case with the Short-eared and others which hunt much a-wing; it is 
rather pert and noisy, like a Shrike’s. Like a Shrike, also, in extended course 
it dives with closed wings, then opens suddenly and flutters up with rapid 
strokes to regain the former level,—describing thus successive loops of flight. 
In spite of his insignificant size, the Pygmy is a dashing little brigand, 
and no bird up to the size of a Robin is safe from its clutches. So bold is he 
that upon one occasion, when Mr. Bowles threw a large stick at one, the Owl 
charged at the passing missile with all imaginable fury. The diet descends 
not infrequently to insects, but squirrels of twice the Owl's weight are prompt- 
ly seized when occasion offers. Dark days are as good as night to them, and 
they are sometimes abroad on bright days as well. 
The Pygmy Owl “sings” in a small hollow voice, klook - klook - klook 
look look look look look look, with an effect for tempo something like that 
produced by the accelerating rebound of a tiny wooden mallet, struck on 
resonant wood, in quality something between this and the pectoral quaver of 
the Screech Owl. To our great coarse ears it is, of course, ridiculously 
inoffensive, but how like the knell of doom it must sound to a trembling 
Chickadee! 
No. 200. 
"4 MARSH HAWK. 
A. O. U. No. 331. Circus hudsonius (Linn.). 
Synonyms.—Marsu Harrier. Moust Hawk. SNAKE Hawk. 
Description.—A dult male: Head and neck all around, chest, and upperparts 
light bluish gray or ashy, the hind head darker, with much partially concealed 
white, and tinged with ochraceous; five outer primaries mostly black; upper 
tail-coverts pure white; tail silvery gray, barred irregularly with blackish, the 
subterminal band largest, tipped with whitish, the inner webs whitish or rusty- 
tinged; remaining underparts, including under side of wing (except terminal 
third of primaries), white—the belly, flanks and tibiz sparsely spotted or barred 
with rufous or pale dusky, and the lining of the wing with a few dusky spots and 
bars; wings, tail, and shanks, greatly lengthened; tip of wing formed by third 
and fourth primaries, wing when folded falling an inch or more short of tail, 
and sometimes not reaching to end of feet. Iris bright yellow; bill blackish; feet 
yellow; claws black. Adult female: Of different coloring; upperparts dusky 
brown, the head and neck streaked and the lesser wing-coverts spotted or margined 
with cinnamon-rufous; longer upper tail-coverts white, the shorter ones brown, 
tipped with rufous; tail brown, becoming paler at tip, and crossed by six or 
