OUR BIRDS OF PREY. 191 



Ontario species, is by no means common. Occasionally, we hear of 

 him striking down a duck at the shooting stations, but we also know 

 that his food at such places consists to a great extent of the different 

 species of waders known as "Mud Hens." 



The Fish Hawk has been put upon the black list, because he kills 

 fish. That he does this cannot be denied, but he is a magnificent 

 bird, whose fine presence adds a point of beauty to many a lovely 

 landscape by lake and river, and surely it would be poor policy to kill 

 off this interesting feathered fisher because he takes a few suckers, 

 with now- and then a trout or bass by way of a change. 



This leaves only two of the six to be considered, and I fear that 

 not much can be said in their favor. Cooper's Hawk, the larger of 

 the two, is not so common throughout Ontario as the Sharp-shinned, 

 but he is the one who will come back day after day to rob the 

 roost or the pigeon loft, and who watches to catch the grouse and 

 quail wherever they appear. This is he, in short, whose misdeeds 

 have brought disgrace on the whole class, and given occasion for the 

 bad name which still clings to them all. 



The Sharp-shinned is a smaller bird, content with humbler fare, 

 but his eyes and claws are sharp as needles. He is always on the 

 alert, and few birds escape which he tries to capture. The record is 

 bad for these two, and Dr. Fisher says of them: "Unquestionably 

 both species should be killed wherever and whenever possible." 



I can hardly follow the Doctor to this extent, because we have 

 been a long time in discovering the true standing of other species, 

 and it may be that the two now under consideration have some 

 redeeming points with which we are not yet acquainted. At all 

 events we must give them both credit for reducing the number of 

 Passer domesticus, which they do to a considerable extent. Every 

 sparrow they take relieves us of a nuisance, and the greater the 

 number of sparrows they use the less of anything else will be 

 required for their support. Let us then be patient with them, give 

 them another chance, and enjoy the fine exhibitions they give us of 

 their dexterity while capturing their prey in the near neighborhood 

 of our dwelling houses. 



