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NATURE STUDY REVIEW 



9 :5— May, 1913 



There is one group of birds — the hawks — which a great 

 many people misunderstand. Many think of the hawks as bad 

 and believe that they ought to be shot, and many farmers do go 

 out and shoot them. Most of the hawks are good. Just an in- 

 dividual once in a while gets the bad habit of eating poultry. 

 But don't shoot all hawks because that one is bad. If one of 

 you boys is bad in school, you expect the teacher to punish the 

 bad one and not punish all the good pupils just because one gets 

 into mischief. Sometimes a dog gets the habit of killing sheep, 

 but you don't shoot all the dogs in the neighborhood just because 

 that one dog got a bad habit. You hunt out and make away with 

 the sheep-killing dog. So it is with hawks and owls. We should 

 learn which particular individual is injurious and destroy him 

 alone, being sure to protect the beneficial hawks and owls. In 

 Pennsylvania they have figured that each hawk and owl alive out 

 in the field is worth $20.00 to the state. 



The little sparrow hawk seldom does any harm, but he is 

 fond of grasshoppers, caterpillars, meadow mice, etc. It is very 

 important that the hawks should destroy the meadow mice. Their 



^^^^^^^ 



Fledgling Screech Owls on Stick. 



numbers increase very rapidly and their sharp teeth can do very 

 great. damage by cuttting the roots of grass and by devouring 

 grains. 



The hen hawk is very fond of meadow mice wdiich destroy 

 crops. The marsh hawk is especially fine. You can see him 



