OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 257 



carefully surveying the country in every direction with a 

 keen vigilant eye, until it is sufficiently near to strike, when 

 it marks its victim, and swoops down upon it with unerring 

 precision, seldom missing its aim, and bears it off in the 

 midst of great tumult and excitement to a safe distance, 



} 



when it alights upon the most convenient object and de- 

 vours its prey at leisure, keeping a careful lookout for its 

 most inveterate enemy whom it half suspects, judging from 

 its suspicious actions, will take the earliest opportunity to 

 retaliate. It is a difficult bird to approach, and can seldom 

 be surprised save by strategy. During the autumnal and 

 winter months it leads a solitary life ; the sexes seldom 

 encountering each other, without manifesting a disposition 

 to quarrel, which occasionally results in a deadly encoun- 

 ter. The female evidently gains the victorv over the 

 male in these encounters. 



The flight of this Hawk is firm, steady, and considerably 

 protracted. It often flies to a great height, and frequently 

 glides along for a great distance, without any apparent move- 

 ment of the wings. It seldom seizes its prey upon the w ing, 

 but ordinarily descends upon it from the branch of a tree, 

 or some other fixed position. Perched upon a stump, a low 

 tree, or any commanding object whatever, no matter how 

 \ow and unpretending, it awaits the appearance of some 

 luckless rodent, darts down upon it, and bears it writhing 

 through the air, before it has hardly had time to collect its 

 self-possession. It visits occasionally swampy grounds and 

 the banks of streams, for the li/ards and serpents which in- 

 fest those watery retreats, taking good care to seize these 

 wiry creatures near the head. 



The cry of these birds is very peculiar and disagreeable, 

 and is repeated very frequently, and at irregular intervals, 

 during flight. When surprised by human enemies, they not 

 unfrequently give expression to a similar scream, which can- 

 be heard at a great distance. When one has captured prey 

 in presence of another, the latter will often struggle for its 

 33 



