168 Cameron, Notes on Swainson's Hawk. [ April 



or within a fenced pasture, for its nest, which thus becomes forth- 

 with the cynosure of hostile eyes. My own study of buzzards in 

 their haunts has from this cause been considerably hindered — ■ 

 sometimes abruptly terminated for the time being — by the de- 

 struction of the eggs or young of the very birds I wished to keep 

 under observation. 



Swainson's Hawk, when seen Hying in the distance, resembles a 

 small Golden Eagle, and there are not a few attributes which are 

 common to both species. Among the latter may be mentioned the 

 facts that both pair for life, both shade their young from the hot 

 sun, and both possess a sense of ornamentation which leads them 

 to decorate their nests. The above characteristics are quite 

 probably shared by all members of the sub-genus Buteo, but the 

 further fact remains that neither the Golden Eagle nor Swainson's 

 Hawk ever seems to drink water — at least in captivity — , and this 

 exceptional peculiarity suggests a close affinity between them. 

 Like all buzzards, Swainson's Hawk has a lazy, apathetic tempera- 

 ment, usually preying upon the humblest quarry, and permitting 

 unprovoked attacks upon itself by small and weak tormentors. 

 On occasions, however, when hunger presses, or its eyrie is menaced, 

 the bird can display unexpected dash and ferocity. In May, 1905, 

 a Swainson's Hawk that nested by the Yellowstone near the Terry 

 ferryboat crossing, became so bold as to swoop at the passers-by. 

 A prominent flockmaster, owner of the land, was much annoyed by 

 the bird's threatened assaults, and instructed the ferryman to 

 shoot the assailant. Hearing of this, I interceded successfully 

 with the latter, and secured his co-opt ration to protect the hawks: 

 but we were unable to save their three eggs from a meddlesome 

 shepherd, who removed and ate them. In the Lake District of 

 Cumberland, England, during the summer of 1910, a Common 

 Buzzard (Buteo buteo) which differs but little from B. swainsoni, 

 also made frequent attacks upon visitors to its haunt. A corre- 

 spondent of 'Country Life' for June 25, 1910, contributed an 

 account of his experience, describing how he had to take refuge 

 successively under a tree and behind a wall to avoid the "tre- 

 mendous swoops" of the bird. 



As the present article is very long, I forbear to give a detailed 

 description of the remarkable buzzard flocks which occur at the 





