I 



THE ENEMIES OF WILD LIFE 211 



which are either entirely or partially beneficial. In Nova 

 Scotia it is the commonest species of hawk, and it ranges 

 across Canada to British Columbia, where it is represented 

 by a Western subspecies. It normally resides in the forests 

 and woodland, from which it makes excursions to the open 

 country, and is especially fond of raiding the farmer's poul- 

 try-yard with destructive effect. In its normal haunts it 

 preys upon the rabbit and grouse. When rabbits are abun- 

 dant these hawks increase in numbers, but with the peri- 

 odic disappearance of the rabbit they attack the grouse in 

 greater numbers. When the latter birds are reduced in 

 numbers through the depredations of these fierce birds, the 

 shortage of food drives the hawks farther south, and, as was 

 explained in discussing the scarcity of the different species 

 of grouse in the prairies, they prove to be one of the worst 

 enemies of our game-birds. 



This species and the two species mentioned below are the 

 chief predatory enemies of our game-birds, and, inasmuch 

 as they destroy large numbers of game and insectivorous 

 birds, not to mention the great destruction of poultry that 

 they accomplish, their protection cannot be urged, and they 

 should be treated as noxious predatory animals. It is im- 

 portant, however, that they should be distinguished from 

 the many species of hawks that render considerable service 

 to the farmer by destroying noxious rodents, such as gophers, 

 moles, and mice, and noxious insects, such as grasshoppers. 



Cooper^s Hawk. — This predatory species is smaller than 

 the goshawk, and intermediate in size between it and the 

 sharp-shinned hawk. It is not common in eastern Canada, 

 and is more abundant in the West; in British Columbia it 

 is generally distributed and tolerably common in the Lower 

 Fraser valley. It is a strong and rapid flyer, having a 

 quick, darting flight, and its boldness makes it a serious 

 enemy of poultry. It can be recognized by its barred tail, 

 about as long as its body, and somewhat rounded rather 



