52 BIRDS OP^ PREY. 



This species is common to the northern and temperate, as 



well as the warmer parts of the old and new continents, being 



met with in Europe, Africa, South America, and the West 



Indies. In the winter season it extends its peregrinations 



from Hudson's Bay to the Oregon territory and the southern 



parts of the United States, frequenting chiefly open, low, and 



marshy situations, over which it sweeps or skims along, at a 



little distance usually from the' ground, in quest of mice, small 



birds, frogs, lizards, and other reptiles, which it often selects 



by twilight as well as in the open day ; and at times, pressed 



by hunger, it is said to join the Owls and seek out its prey 



eveiP;,by moonlight. Instances have been known in England 



in whicfr this bird has carried its temerity so far as to pursue 



the same game »with the armed fowler, and even snatch it from 



his grasp after calmi> waiting for it to be shot, and without 



even betraying timidity at th^^ report of the gun. The nest of 



this species is made on the g^-Qund, in swampy woods or 



among rushes, occasionally also un^gj. ^^g protection of rocky 



precipices, and is said to be formea ^^ stjcj-g^ reeds, leaves, 



straw, and similar materials heaped toge^v^gj., and finished with 



a lining of feathers, hair, or other soft ^,ibstances. In the 



F. cineraceics, so nearly related to this specu „^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^ 



a pure white. When their young are approach ^^ ^^^ parents, 



hovering round the intruder and uttermg a so.^ ^^ uncouth 



syllable, like geg geg gag, or ge ge ne ge ge, seem L^^ ^^ ^^^^.^^^ 



and anxiety. The Crows, however, are their great.,^ enemies, 



and they often succeed in demohshmg the nests. ,j^^ ^^^^^^ 



are easily tamed, and feed almost immediately withc,^ ^^^.^^ 



iting any signs of fear. 



Nuttall has told about all that more modern observers^^^^ ^^ 

 tell of this species. The authorities differ chiefly in descrm ^^ ^^ 

 the structure of the nest and the ^^'■^'"g-^^^^'^Vgf "^ J^^ nests 

 that I have examined have been composed entirely of coarse 

 without lining, though the softest of the grass was laid o ^^^J 

 The eggs were unspotted. 



