122 HAWKS. 



of southern New York. It migrates nortliward in Feb- 

 ruary and March, bnt does not nest until May. UnHke 

 our other Hawks, it chooses a hollow tree for a home, 

 often taking possession of a Woodpecker's deserted hole. 

 It lays three to seven eggs, which are finely and evenly 

 marked with reddish brown. 



It is the Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks who are 



the real culprits in Ilawkdom. They feed almost exclu- 



Sharp-shinned Hawk, ^i^ely on birds, and, having once ac- 



Arripit.r r.inx. quired a taste for tender young broilers, 



Plate XVII. they are apt to make daily visits to the 

 hen yards. They are less often observed than the Hawks 

 previously mentioned, seeking less exposed perches and 

 soaring comparatively little ; but, when seen, their slen- 

 der bodies and long- tails should aid in distinguishing 

 them from the stouter, slower-tlying Hawks. As a rule, 

 they are silent. It is difficult to explain the differences 

 between these and other Hawks with sufficient clearness 

 to prevent one's killing the wrong kind, but if the farmer 

 will withhold his judgment against Hawks in general, 

 and shoot only those that visit his poultry yard, he will 

 not go far astray. 



Cooper's Hawk resembles the Sharp-shinned in color, 



but is about four inches longer, and its outer tail-feathers 



are about half an inch shorter than the 



p r aw , middle ones instead of beino- of equal 



Acapiter <-(iiip, n. <? i 



length. With the preceding species it 

 may be known by its slender form, long tail, compara- 

 tively short wings, and long, thin tarsi or " legs." 



The Chinese and Japanese train Cormorants to fish 



American Osprey, ^*^^ *1^^™' ^^^* ^^'^ services of these birds 



Pandion luiiiiutas would soou 1)6 at a discouut if the 



caroimensis. Qsprey could bc iuduced to work for a 



Plate XVIII r J 



master. What an inspiring sight it is 

 to see one plunge from the air upon its prey ! One can 



