498 THE SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. 
of brush or weed, or else retire quickly to thick foliage, there to await with 
the patience of a statue the first stirrings of the frightened quarry. The 
prey when caught is held at ‘“arm’s length’ until quite dead, and then either 
eaten on the spot or else carried up to some elevated perch. 
Swallows, thru superior agility, are nearly exempt from Sharp-shin’s 
depredations. Besides being nimble, Swallows are no mean fighters them-_ 
selves. Mr. C. W. Bowles once witnessed an unprovoked attack of a Sharp- 
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 vigorously that the sorry Hessian beat an igno- 
minious retreat. 
Sharp-shinned Hawks may be seen on either side of the Cascades both 
winter and summer, but they are far commoner during migrations. They 
travel singly or in pairs, and the appearance of one brings an instant hush to 
the morning chorus. Occasionally the observer gets a perfect view of a 
Sharp-shin as it comes unexpectedly in sight over some woodland opening, 
and takes a curious turn about overhead, displaying as it sails the finely-barred 
pattern of its wing-linings and its long square-ended tail; but oftener the bird 
is aware of your presence in advance and keeps warily out of range. It is 
sometimes seen in the neighborhood of the poultry house, and is quite equal 
to carrying off a chick or young pullet unless prevented. 
It is idle to try to speak a good word for this gory little Hawk; redents 
and insects are eaten only occasionally, while birds of every size up to pigeons 
and quails are its regular diet. According to Dr. Fisher, of 107 stomachs 
examined containing food, 6 held poultry or game birds, “99, other birds; 
6, mice; 5, insects.” 
Since these birds bear such a character, Mr. Bowles may be allowed to 
point 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 appear to be mated upon arrival, about the middle of April, 
but the nest is not prepared before the middle of the following month. The 
nest is usually placed in an evergreen close to the trunk and at a height from 
the ground of from twenty to fifty feet. Occasionally an old squirrel 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 below. 
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 rapping on the 
