BIRDS OF PREY. 



169 



It nests in high mountainous regions and north of 

 the United States, and in the river valleys of the 

 Middle States is seen only as a winter visitor. It is 

 a beautiful hawk, but when seen sitting on a dead 

 tree, or slowly flying over the river or flooded 

 meadows, does not suggest that it is really a fiery, 

 high-spirited, or " noble" falcon. 



The Red-tailed Hawk, or "Hen-hawk" of the 

 farmers, is too well known a bird to need minute de- 

 scription. It is that fine 

 old hawk that sails in 

 great circles high in air 

 and calls at times to its 

 mate with a shrill scream 

 that startles every chicken 

 and causes chanticleer to 

 look about and caution 

 the hens. 



The hen-hawk, or red- 

 tail, may be " rather inac- 

 tive" sometimes, but there 

 is plenty of " dash" about 

 him when occasion calls 

 for it. This is not dis- 

 played in the prosy matter 

 of procuring food, but is 

 an affair of play, perhaps, 

 when, almost out of sight, 

 a pair of them have what 



appears through the telescope to be a rough-and- 

 tumble fight. 



The migrations of these birds have often been de- 



H 15 



Red-tailed Hawk. 



