A First Glance at the Birds, 



the air on fluttering wing and suddenly 

 swoop down to the ground to capture 

 one of them. 



In spite of the common impression 

 that hawks are a pest which should 

 be exterminated, the fact is quite the 

 reverse. Nearly all of our hawks feed 

 chiefly upon mice and other small mam- 

 mals, and upon the larger insects. The 

 sharp-shinned hawk, a little fellow 

 scarcely larger than the sparrow-hawk, 

 a swift, impetuous and bold creature, is 

 an exception to this rule, and prefers the 

 excitement of a chase after some luckless 

 bird. 



Among our other hawks may be men- 

 tioned the beautiful white-tailed kite, 

 with its white head and breast and its blu- 

 ish gray back, which contrasts with the 

 black shoulder-patch and spot under the 

 wing; the marsh-hawk, generally found 

 about the bay shores or other marshy 

 places, and easily recognized by the con- 

 spicuous white patch on the upper tail- 

 coverts; the western goshawk, which is 



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