212 



VIEWS OF DIFFERENT WRITERS. 



The fallowing paragraphs are quoted hum L)r. 

 Fisher's report: 



"The food of the Pigeon Hawk consists mainly of small and 

 medium-sized birds, especially the gregarious species, insects, 

 and occasionally small mammals. Pigeons, flickers and 

 grackles are about as large birds as it usually attacks, though 

 Dr. Dall, in one instance, saw it kill a ptarmigan, and Dr. E. A. 

 Mearns speaks of a specimen shot in the act of destroying a 

 hen. Among the insects dragon flies are favorite morsels for 

 this hawk, and the apparent ease with which it captures these 

 nimble-winged insects demonstrates better than anything else 

 its remarkable power of flight. The writer has also found 

 grasshoppers, crickets and beetles among the stomach con- 

 tents. 



Like the Duck Hawk, the species under consideration occa- 

 sionally captures small mammals when its ordinary food is 

 scarce, though according to Dr. J. G. Cooper, it sometimes 

 feeds quite extensively on them. He says: "Though small, the 

 Pigeon Hawk has all the' fierceness and courage of a true fal- 

 con, and captures birds fully as large as itself. It, however, 

 chiefly follows the flocks of gregarious birds, such as black- 

 birds, doves, etc., and preys much on mice, gophers and squir- 

 rels. I have not heard of its attacking domestic poultry, and 

 those farmers who shoot every 'chicken hawk' that comes 

 around the house would do well to observe them more closely, 

 and will discover that these small species are not the young 

 of the larger ones, and should rather be encouraged than de- 

 stroyed. (Ornith. Cala., Land Birds, 1870, p. 461.) 



Wilson sums up its food as follows: "When the reed birds, 

 grackles and red-winged blackbirds congregate in large flights, 

 he is often observed hovering in their rear, or on their flanks, 

 picking up the weak, the wounded or stragglers, and fre- 

 quently making a sudden and fatal sweep into the very midst 

 of their multitudes. The flocks of robins and pigeons are hon- 

 ored with the same attentions from this marauder." (Am. 

 Ornithology, Vol. I, 1831, p. 61, 62.) 



Audubon speaks of its food as follows: "It seizes the red- 

 breasted thrush, the wild pigeon, and even the golden-winged 

 wooOoecKer on land, whilst along the shores it chases several 

 species of snipes, as well as the green-winged teal." (Ornith. 

 Biography, Vol. I, p. 467.) 



Mr. John Murdoch mentions four Pigeon Hawks which, on 

 September 5, came out to the vessel as it was crossing the 

 Gulf of St. Lawrence, and says: "The first that appeared had 

 a Leach's petrel, dead, in his talons. He alighted with this on 

 the fore cross-trees, and proceeded to eat it." (Bull. Nutt. 

 Ornith. Club, Vol. II, 1877, p. 79.) 



Dr. Coues, speaking of the species in Labrador, says: "On 

 the 25th of the same month (August), at Henley Harbor, an- 

 other Individual was seen foraging among the immense flocks 

 of curlews {Numeniua borealia) which then covered the hills 

 in the vicinity." (Proc. Acad. Nat. Scl., Phila,, 1861, p. 216.) 



In Texas, Mr. George B. Sennett secured a bird whose crop 



