THB OOLOQIST 



31 



but few exceptions. With us they are 

 fairly well represented, ten species 

 having come under my observation in 

 this locality. 



Marsh Hawk (Circus hudsonius). 

 This well known hawk is easily recog- 

 nized by its manner of flight, as it 

 flies low over marshy places, search- 

 ing for mice, and by its long tail. This 

 hawk also has a peculiar habit of turn- 

 ing somersets in the air. They spend 

 the summer with us, and occasionally 

 I have seen them during open winters. 

 I found nests of these birds both in 

 Wisconsin and Illinois. The usual 

 nesting time is in May. They feed 

 chiefly on small mammals, such as 

 meadow mice, field mice, gophers, etc., 

 reptiles such as snakes, lizards, frogs, 

 etc., insects of various kinds, and 

 small birds. Is often ruthlessly shot 

 by the thoughtless hunter ; neverthe- 

 less is quite plentiful. 



Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter ve- 

 lox). I am quite sure I have seen these 

 hawks in the timber, but have never 

 found them nesting. The U. S. Biolog- 

 ical Survey found it necessary to 

 brand them as an evil as they feed to 

 a great extent on small birds and 

 small chickens. 



Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperi). 

 This hawk is common with us in sum- 

 mer, nests in May mostly, though I 

 have found them in April and June. 

 They are bold, dashing birds, always 

 go as if they knew where they were 

 going. Their food consists principally 

 of small birds and poultry, which they 

 are not at all backward about taking. 

 They also feed to some extent on 

 small rodents, reptiles, bartrachians 

 and insects. Noted in both states. 



Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo borealis). 

 The Red-tail, often seen high in the 

 air, soaring in great circles, reminds 

 me more of an eagle than a hawk. 

 Some of them pass the winter with us, 

 but whether they were the ones that 



breed here, or the migrants from the 

 North, I cannot say. They nest in the 

 tallest and largest trees in heavy 

 timber. I have collected their eggs in 

 Wisconsin, in March, April and May. 

 A great amount of the poultry taken 

 is layed to this "Chicken Hawk,'' but 

 careful study by the Biological Sur- 

 vey shows them exempt, or nearly so, 

 as they usually feed on mice and other 

 small rodents, only a small per cent, 

 consisting of poultry. Nevertheless 

 they are ruthlessly hunted and killed 

 by the farmer who receives most of 

 the benefit from them. They are' 

 quite plentiful however. Noted also 

 in Illinois. 



Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo Linea- 

 tus). During some thirty years of 

 field work I found this hawk nesting 

 but once, and then I had the misfor- 

 tune to tumble the beautiful eggs from 

 the nest and of course smash them all. 

 It is a most useful hawk to the agri- 

 culturalist, feeding principally on mice, 

 snakes, frogs and insects, very rarely 

 on birds or chickens. They are also 

 relentlessly hunted by the farmer. 



Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platyp- 

 terus). I saw one of these hawks in 

 the timber on the bluffs of the Wis- 

 consin River in Iowa County, in 1911. 

 It is a beneficial hawk, feeding prin- 

 cipally on small mammals, reptiles, 

 bartracians, and insects. 



Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). 

 This magnificent bird has frequently 

 been captured or killed in this part of 

 Wisconsin. One was for a year or 

 more kept in a cage in Columbus, that 

 was caught during the winter of 1897- 

 8 by a farmer south of the city a few 

 miles. The food of the Golden Eagle 

 consists of small mammals and game 

 birds, and sometimes a lamb or pig 

 (dead animals?) 



Bald Eagle (Haliaectus leucocepha- 

 lus). These fine and dignified birds 

 are quite common some years, and sev- 



