266 HANDBOOK OF NATURE STUDY 



they destroy some young birds and eggs ; but recent in- 

 vestigations by the Department of Agriculture show that 

 this habit is not nearly as common as it was believed to be. 

 Of two hundred and ninety-two stomachs of jays examined, 

 only two contained remains of young birds, and three con- 

 tained shells of small birds' eggs. 



While it might not be wise to allow many jays to nest 

 near our homes, they evidently do not deserve to be gener- 

 ally persecuted. They eat a great many injurious insects, 

 do practically no harm to agriculture, and they enliven our 

 winter landscapes more than any other bird. 



Hawks and Owls 



We have learned that most mammals live on vegetable 

 food; a few, like bats, shrews, and moles, live largely on 

 insects ; while others live mostly 011 the flesh of mammals 

 and birds. We shall now study a few birds which do not 

 feed on seeds and insects, as most birds do, but which live 

 largely on birds and mammals, which they catch with their 

 sharp talons. I think we shall be able to understand readily 

 that hawks and owls, the birds I refer to, are well adapted 

 to catch and devour birds and rodents, but that they could 

 not possibly pick up wheat and seeds as chickens do. 



62. The Red-tailed Hawk. Buteo borealis. 



MATERIAL : A picture, or a mounted bird ; this, or some other 

 hawk, caged ; a freshly killed specimen. Outdoor observations. 



This is one of our large hawks, which every child has 

 seen sailing high in the air. There they soar so easily, 

 seldom moving their wings, that we cannot help thinking 

 we could do it too, if we only had some kind of wings. 

 But up to this time, it must be confessed, all wings and 

 flying machines invented by man have proved very danger- 

 ous contrivances. 



