The " Hen Hawk " 325 



a third near by, none of them, however, venturing 

 nearer the bait. 



It was now time for me to watch. With my camera 

 placed in a concealed position, I was on hand before 

 daybreak, the slide of the plate holder drawn, and 

 the release to the shutter ready to operate, if the 

 hawks appeared. As they did not come on this nor 

 on the next morning, it seemed necessary to try to 

 coax them to come. 



The traps and bait intended for the skunks were 

 removed; then a fowl was killed and parts of it put 

 about the swamp upon stakes five or six feet high. 

 These parts were taken by something in the morning 

 and late afternoon, probably by the hawks, although 

 the owls may have secured some pieces that were 

 not taken before dark. This feeding process was 

 kept up for four days, the food being renewed several 

 times in some cases, and then all remaining bait 

 was removed from the stakes. Again fresh bait was 

 placed by the stump, as the boy had had it in the 

 beginning. 



The camera was placed in position as before, and 

 long before daylight I was in my place of conceal- 

 ment with the release apparatus adjusted ready to 

 photograph, if the opportunity presented itself. The 

 gray appeared in the east, then followed the beautiful 



