No. 4.] BIRDS ON THE FARM. 151 



shinned hawk and duck hawk, which are among the greatest 

 enemies of small birds, are not common about the farm at 

 present, although the sharp-shinned hawk is occasionally seen. 

 There is really but one hawk, in the neighborhood, that kills 

 many birds or chickens, and that is the marsh hawk, which 

 is now usually regarded as the most useful of all hawks. 



This hawk is frequently held up as a model by popular 

 writers on bird protection. Such expressions as, "it never 

 touches a chicken," and " seldom kills birds," have been 

 frequently used. The truth of the matter is, that a hungry 

 marsh hawk will take a chicken or a bird at any time when 

 a good chance presents itself. I have known the marsh 

 hawk to kill snipe, song sparrows, a domestic pigeon, young 

 blue jays and many chickens. The bird is often followed 

 by the blackbirds, which indicates that their nests have 

 been robbed by it. All along the south-eastern shore of 

 Massachusetts from Dartmouth to Plymouth this bird is 

 recognized as a chicken thief. It will glide into the barn- 

 yard, seize a young chicken and bear it away to a tree in 

 the woods or low spot of ground, where nothing will remain 

 to tell the tale but the scattered feathers. Well knowing 

 the value of the marsh hawk as a mouser, I was, for some 

 years, loath to believe the stories told by farmers and poul- 

 trymen of its ravages in the poultry yard ; but during the 

 past two years I have seen these birds strike and carry off 

 chickens both in the woods and in the open. Having lost 

 about forty chickens, the shot gun was brought into requi- 

 sition, and but two more were lost that season. The marsh 

 hawk could not kill chickens when half grown, as the birds 

 were then strong enough to escape ; but small chickens are 

 not safe from this bird unless they can be kept shut up. 

 These birds beat over the meadows and sweep through 

 patches of woodland, snatching young birds from their nests 

 and flying away pursued by the screaming parents. There 

 is little doubt, however, that this hawk, so long as it con- 

 fines itself to its usual habitat in the fields and meadows, is 

 among the most useful of our native birds, for there its prey 

 consists largely of field mice and other small mammals which 

 are believed to be mainly injurious. 



