304 ACC1PITER COOPERI. 



that these Hawks seldom enter their favorite retreats in this headlong manner without 

 meaning mischief; and they generally accomplish their object. A few quick turns, a tum- 

 ble or two, during which the wings, tail, and long legs of the Hawk appear to be tangled 

 together in an inextricable manner; he knows what he is about, however, for he quickly 

 rights himself, emerges from the thicket, and the next moment, the feathers of the plucked 

 Sparrow are floating in the wind. When we consider that scenes, such as I have described, 

 are being repeated every day many thousand times, throughout the length and breadth of 

 our continent, we can understand how destructive the Sharp-shinned Hawks must be to 

 bird life. 



These small Hawks are very bold and will not hesitate to attack birds which arc larg- 

 er than themselves, and I once saw one strike down a fully grown Night Heron that chanced 

 to be abroad by day. The Heron was flying from one island to another across some marsh- 

 es, when the Hawk darted out of a neighboring wood and pounced upon him. The force 

 of the shock was so great that the slowly moving Heron fell to the ground at once but, for- 

 tunately for him, in falling, he gave vent to one of those discordant squarks which only a 

 bird of this species is capable of uttering, and which so astonished and frightened the 

 Hawk, that it completely forgot to take advantage of its prostrate prey, but darted away; 

 while the Heron regained its feet, shook itself, and mounting in air, flew wildly into the 

 nearest thicket. 



The Hawks 'and Kites of which I have been writing, are about neutral as regards the 

 interests of man but the Sharp-shins are most decidedly a nuisance, not only en account 

 of their propensity to destroy small birds but they are-also extremely fond of young Chicle- 

 ens, Turkeys, etc., and will not hesitate to capture them whenever a suitable opportunity 

 occurs. These destructive qualities are greatly augmented by the fact, that when they have 

 once discovered a brood of Chickens, they will constantly forage upon them until the last 

 one is gone, unless the farmer interferes with his gun. 



The Sharp-shrnned Hawks breed rather late, usually about the first week in May in 

 Massachusetts, placing the nest in the fork of a tree, often not twenty feet from the ground. 

 The parents are not particularly solicitous for the safety of their eggs, merely alighting on 

 some neighboring tree, where they silently watch the collector as he robs their nest. The 

 young appear in due course and, after accompanying their parents a short time, disperse 

 about the country. These Hawks usually migrate southward in winter but I have occa- 

 sionally seen them as far north as Massachusetts during this season. 



ACCIPITER COOPERI. 



Cooper's Hawk. 

 Falco Cooperi BOXN., Am. Orn., II; 1828, 1. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. CH. Form, robust. Size, large. Sternum, stout but rather narrow, with the marginal indentations not large. 

 Tongue, quite fleshy, rounded and bifid at the tip. Tarsus and toes, short and stout, with the middle toe about equal in 

 length to the hind toe and claw. Cocoa, present but very small. 



