362 RED-TAILED HAWK. 



ful; its penetrating eye pierces through the thickly matted 

 grass, and with the most intense vigilance, directs its atten- 

 tion to the spot where the prey lies concealed, and by 

 one bound, like lightning it descends to the earth, and with 

 unerring aim, secures the hapless victim. 



In the fall of 1826, I was hunting in Jersey, and whilst 

 beating with my dogs an extensive stubble field, my atten- 

 tion was attracted by the well-known screams of the Red- 

 tailed Hawk. I had been unsuccessful on ground which 

 I knew abounded with game, and was at a loss to account 

 for its disappearance, until the cause was made known by 

 the vociferations of this Hawk. Casting my eyes toward 

 the extremity of the field, I discovered one of these birds 

 sailing over that, paft of it which contained an extensive 

 asparagus bed, where, suddenly the bird's attention was 

 drawn to some object sheltered beneath the density of the 

 asparagus. In a moment its progress was retarded, and 

 balancing itself in the air for a few moments, at the height 

 of perhaps forty feet, it made a sudden plunge into the 

 grass, and there remained. I took advantage of this shel- 

 ter, and proceeded rapidly towards the spot, for the pur- 

 pose of shooting the Hawk ; but ere I reached the desired 

 place, it rose again to the same height in the air as before, 

 and hovered for a considerable time. Having missed its 

 prey in the first attempt, it was now so intent on the object 

 beneath it, that my approach was entirely disregarded. 

 Jn another* moment, and with more fatal aim, it darted into 

 the grass, with a rustling noise, and soon arose with its vic- 

 tim. Being sufficiently near, I shot the Hawk, and secured 

 its prize, which was } r et alive. It was a male partridge, 

 and had, with its companions, sought shelter in the aspa- 

 ragus ; but with all the well-known ingenuity of these 

 birds, it availed nothing against the penetrating eye of this 

 Hawk. 



The voice of the Red-tailed Hawk is harsh, and may 

 be heard at a considerable distance. Its ungracious and 



