MARSH HAWK 121 



flock of small birds, probably swallows, in pursuit. Oc- 

 casionally he alights and walks or hops flutteringly a 

 foot or two over the ground. 



Nov. 5, 1855. At Hubbard's Crossing I see a large 

 male hen-harrier skimming over the meadow, its deep 

 slate somewhat sprinkled or mixed with black ; perhaps 

 young. It flaps a little and then sails straight forward, 

 so low it must rise at every fence. But I perceive that 

 it follows the windings of the meadow over many fences. 



April 8, 1856. The marsh hawks ^ flew in their usual 

 irregular low tacking, wheeling, and circling flight, 

 leisurely flapping and beating, now rising, now falling, 

 in conformity with the contour of the ground. The last 

 I think I have seen on the same beat in former years. 

 He and his race must be well acquainted with the 

 Musketicook and its meadows. No sooner is the snow 

 off than he is back to his old haunts, scouring that 

 part of the meadows that is bare, while the rest is 

 melting. If he returns from so far to these meadows, 

 shall the sons of Concord be leaving them at this sea- 

 son for slight cause? 



April 22, 1856. A marsh hawk, in the midst of the 

 rain, is skimming along the shore of the meadow, close 

 to the ground, and, though not more than, thirty rods 

 off, I repeatedly lose sight of it, it is so nearly the color 

 of the hillside beyond. It is looking for frogs. 



May 20, 1856. Two marsh hawks, male and female, 



flew about me a long time, screaming, — the female 



largest, with ragged wings, — as I stood on the neck of 



the peninsula. This induced me to climb four pines, 



1 [Two seen that afternoon.] 



