30 FIELD SHOOTING. 



served had large numbers of young birds, and the 

 latter were large and strong. The Western coun- 

 try abounds with hawks, and these persecute the 

 quail, grouse, and duck very much. I have seen 

 a bevy of quail in such desperate terror when 

 pursued by a hawk that they dashed against a 

 house and many were killed. I kill all the hawks 

 I can, and often let a grouse go unshot at in 

 order to bring down a hawk. There is one bird 

 of that order which makes great ravages among 

 the ducks. It just kills for the sake of killing, 

 for it strikes down one after the other. It is a 

 small, long-winged hawk, very muscular and strong, 

 and uncommonly rapid in flight. I have seen 

 this hawk when pursuing ducks strike one down 

 and let it lie, going on after the others, and 

 continuing to harass and kill until the prey could 

 reach water. This hawk does not consume a 

 fourth of the grouse and duck it kills. It is not 

 large enough to carry away a good-sized duck, 

 and I doubt whether it could fly away with a 

 grouse for any distance. Eighty miles from Elk- 

 hart there is the Winnebago Swamp, a large and 

 wild track of water, moss, and cover. Ducks, 

 such as mallard, teal, and widgeon, breed there 

 in large numbers. I have often flushed them 



