Part II.] NATURAL ENEMIES OF BIRDS. 255 



be said that the larger soaring hawks, with long broad wings, 

 belong to the beneficial species, which feed chiefly on mice 

 and rats, while the smaller, swifter hawks, with comparatively 

 short wings and long tails, which rarely soar or circle but flap 

 and sail in a more direct course, are very destructive to birds, 

 game and poultry. Nevertheless, at least ten of the first class 

 are killed by farmers, poultrymen, and sportsmen to one of 

 the latter, because they are slower, more numerous and more 

 conspicuous, and therefore more readily seen and shot. It 

 should not be inferred from the above that hawks of the first 

 class never kill birds, game or poultry, but they are mostly too 

 slow to catch swift birds often. Nevertheless, any of them can 

 catch a young bird or a chicken. Some individual hawks of 

 the soaring species become very destructive to young poultry 

 at times or to young game on a preserve, but it is not difiicuit 

 for a good hunter who is also a good shot to follow such a bird 

 and kill it while it is eating its prey. The great horned owl 

 sometimes acquires the habit of coming to a game preserve at 

 night and taking birds. When this happens it must be stopped, 

 even if the pole trap has to be resorted to, for it is not always 

 possible to shoot a bird that comes after dark. Pole traps kept 

 set, however, will not only destroy useful hawks but will catch 

 and kill many useful insect-eating song birds. Pole traps should 

 be used mainly in the dead of winter, when they will be most 

 likely to destroy principally those creatures that are most harm- 

 ful to the game. It is only the occasional skunk, mink or 

 weasel that becomes destructive in the poultry house or the 

 game pen, but it is useless to talk thus to gamekeepers or 

 poultrymen, most of whom would gladly shoot any predatory 

 bird or mammal at sight. 



Gamekeepers exert themselves to destroy all natural enemies 

 of birds indiscriminately, and it must be admitted that such a 

 policy, coupled with attention to breeding, tends to increase 

 the stock of game on a preserve. Such a policy regarding 

 sheep would lead to the destruction of all dogs. No doubt it 

 would be effective in increasing the numbers of sheep, as both 

 the innocent and the guilty would be destroyed, but it would 

 be better to save the innocent, and particularly the dogs known 

 to protect sheep. 



