183 



RED-TAILS ARE GOOD MOUSERS. 



In consequence of limited space it is im])racticable 

 to jrive in detail the results of dissections which I have 

 made of this species, but would state briefly that my 

 examinations of one hundred and seventy-three Red- 

 tails captured in Pennsylvania, chiefly in Chester 

 county, revealed, in one liundred and twenty-eight, 

 principally field-mice (Arvtcolce) and other small quad- 

 rupeds, also some few small birds; in nine of these one 

 hundred and twenty-eight hawks, small birds were 

 present in addition to the quadrupeds. Fourteen had 

 fed on chickens; six, small birds — meadow larks and 

 sparrows; six, rabbits; three, quail; three, red squir- 

 rels; three, mice and insects; three, snakes; two, re- 

 mains of skunk; two. carrion; one, ham skin; one, 

 meat, probably Ix-cf. T have repeatedly fi)und three 

 and four mice in tlic viscera of one bird, oftentimes 

 five, and in a few insfjinces as manv as seven of these 

 destructive little rodents were oblaine<l from the crop 

 ;in(i stomacli of one Imwk. 



