242 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



occasionally, fish, batrachians, and clivers insects. It prefers. 

 however, the flesh of birds. It is a very dainty feeder, 

 carefully divesting the animals captured, of their covering 

 of feathers and hair, and tearing the flesh in small bits. 

 which it swallows singly. It is mostly silent when abroad 

 in quest of prey. When disturbed, however, in the midst 

 of a meal, it shows its extreme indignation and disgust bv 

 a loud shrill scream, which is repeated several times in 

 succession as it moves away to a place of security. When 

 its quarry is small, it perches upon a tree close-by, particu- 

 larly in a quiet retreat ; or, should the place of capture be in 

 close proximity to a human habitation and danger is immi- 

 nent, it is borne away to a distant thicket, and devoured at 

 leisure. Where its victim is large and too burdensome, 

 like the Harrier it has been known to feed upon the ground. 

 The vast numbers of small animals which it destroys, arc- 

 more than sufficient for its wants, and often appear to be 

 killed out of wanton cruelty, as in frequent instances thev 

 are left untouched. In this particular, it resembles a bird 

 considerably removed from its own family, the Collurio 

 borealis, or common Butcher Bird. The following list 

 contains a portion of the animals which contribute to its 

 bill of fare: Qrtyx virginianus, Philohela minor, Gal- 

 linago ivilsonii, Ectopistes migratoria^ Zcnaidura car- 

 olincnsis, Gonlaphea ludoviciana, Ampelis cedroruni* 

 ^uiscalus versicolor^ Cardinalis virgin-tan us. and many 

 of the common Fringillidce and Sylvicolidce, among 

 birds ; Sciurus hudsonius, Tamias striatus, Ptcroniv* 

 volucella, Jaculus hudsonius', Arvicola Gappcri* among 

 quadrupeds ; Rana sylvatica, R. Jialecina, R. clawitans* 

 Plethodon erythronotus^ among amphibians ; and Cyr- 

 tophyllus concav?Ls, PhyJloptera oblongifolia, (Edipoda 

 Carolina, Priomis unicolor, Lucamts dania. I.ac/n/os- 

 terna qucrcina* and some Papilionidce and Sphingida 

 among insects. In addition thereto, the common fowl, 



