

Banner tail 



k -of a big-winged Hawk, abandoned now, 

 for the Hawk himself, with his long- 

 clawed mate, was nailed to the end of 

 the barn. 



Winter storm and beaming sun had 

 purged and purified the rough old aerie; 

 it was high on a most unclimbable tree, 

 yet sheltered in the wood, and here Sil- 

 vergray halted in her search. All about 

 the nest and tree she climbed, and smelled 

 to find the little owner marks, of musk or 

 rasping teeth, if such there should be — 

 the marks that would have warned her 

 that this place was already possessed. 

 But none there were. The place was 

 without taint, bore only through and 

 through the clean, sweet odor of the woods 

 and wood. 



And this is how she took possession: 

 She rubbed her body on the rim of the 

 nest, she nibbled off projecting twiglets, 

 she climbed round and round the trunk 



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