26 BIRDS OF SOUTH DAKOTA 



acts. Every observer, however, has seen Kingbirds and Black- 

 birds light between his hurrying wings and drive him precipi- 

 tately from the vicinity of their nests, which is presumptive evi- 

 dence against him; and his thieving propensities are well 

 known. 



Hawks and Owls as a rule do not make a business of kill- 

 ing young birds and, as far as the writer is aware, never molest 

 birds' nests. Exceptions must be made of the three Hawks al- 

 ready mentioned the Sharp-shinned, Goshawk and Cooper's 

 Hawk. These three are swift fliers and kill and eat small birds 

 whenever they can catch them, and of course are always eager 

 to appropriate young birds either in the nest or out. Doubt- 

 less any Hawk or Owl will occasionally rifle a nest of young 

 birds, but the Owls and the large and small Hawks do not seek 

 their food in this way. Their food, as indicated elsewhere, con- 

 sists principally of small mammals, and they make it their busi- 

 ness to hunt for mammals and not for birds. 



Snakes always seem to strike birds with terror, and for 

 this there is good reason. These stealthy creatures are always 

 on the watch for nests and young. They easily climb into high 

 bushes and even ascend sloping trees. The writer was one day 

 attracted by the combined cries of seemingly all the birds in the 

 neighborhood cries of fear, terror and distress. A snake had 

 climbed into a high gooseberry bush which held a Catbird's 

 nest, and was leisurely gulping down one of the half-grown 

 young. All the birds were vainly endeavoring to drive him away, 

 but he paid no attention. A bull snake rifled a Cheewink's nest 

 which the writer was watching for photographic purposes, and 

 made his own nest or burrow under it. He had driven a hole 

 directly through the center of the nest. The young were de- 

 stroyed but one unbroken egg was found in the loose dirt which 

 the snake had worked up. 



Many birds' nests are destroyed by wind and storm. 

 The writer has known a Cuckoo's nest to be literally blown out 

 of the tree; and every few years after a severe wind and rain 

 storm both eggs and young birds are seen beside or on the 

 walk between his home and the University in Vermillion. 



