1 62 



THE NIDIOLOGIST. 



soar for hours, and can safely say that this 

 style of flight was never adopted unless 

 there was a breeze. When there is no 

 wind, all Hawks of the genus Buteo are ob- 

 liged to fla]) their wings, and are very slow 

 in their laborious flight. Still, when a 

 steady and moderate breeze is blowing, 

 these Hawks can mount rapidly; and as an 

 article in the Eiigiiict^ring News oi Oct. 12th 

 says — the bird, in flying with the current 

 of air, gains a force which elevates it in its 

 last half of the circle in which it is soaring. 



Mr. H. A.. Hazen of Washington is in- 

 clined to dispute this assertion, and claims 

 that the idea is extremely improbable and 

 almost nonsensical. He maintains that if 

 the Hawk is going down an inclined plain 

 at twenty miles an hour, and at the same 

 rate of the current of air which is bearing- 

 it on, then it can really gain no momentum 

 to raise it to a higher plane. 



This appears reasonable, but as I under- 

 stand it the Hawk does not fly on a descend- 

 ing: plane, but is constantly rising through- 

 out its circles. At least I am satisfied that 

 it does not descend when vigorously sweep- 

 ing about in broad circles, assisted by a 

 strong breeze. 



But allowing that the Red-tailed Hawk 

 descends when soaring with the wind in 

 the halves of its wheeling circles, the soar- 

 ing of the Turkey Buzzard is certainly not 

 similarly affected, for I have seen birds of 

 this species going dead against the breeze 

 and neither rising or falling from their 

 plane. At the same time others would l^e 

 scouring the country in exactly the oppo- 

 .site direction, with the wind or in any 

 other way, and yet they would not ascend 

 or descend; and this, too, in a nearly 

 straight line. 



I cannot say that the Buzzard Hawks so 

 gain a momentum with a consequent rise 

 from it in their circles, but it is evident 

 tliat in .soaring there is a purpose iu 

 the invariable circles which characterize 

 this style of movement with them. In the 

 case of the Turkey Buzzard, the bird can 



move in a straight line in any direction at 

 any time, and apparently when there is no 

 wind, and with immovable extended pin- 

 ions. I have repeatedly seen Turkey Buz- 

 zards sailing over the scrub woods of Flor- 

 ida eying the surface for food. Suddenly 

 something on tlie ground attracted the eye, 

 and the bird turning about. wiHild take the 

 back track and cross and re-cross above the 

 object of attraction perhaps a dozen tinier, 

 without an apparent motion of the wings, 

 and no apparent rise or fall in position. 

 This, too, in plain sight and at not more 

 than a hundred feet elevation above ni)' 

 point of ol)servation. 



The frigate bird has offered an entertain- 

 ing proof that a bird can sail with or 

 against the wind, or with no breeze that 

 one could distinguish from i>elow, and 

 neither rise or fall. 



To those who have seen a Bald Eagle 

 rob a Fish Hawk in mid-air, the best illus- 

 tration of soaring in rapidly ascending cir- 

 cles has been accorded. This .sight has 

 been accorded to me a number of times 

 and in at least two instances there was not 

 the slightest evidence of a breeze. 

 Whether there was a wind or not, the feat- 

 ures of the soaring and chase were always 

 the same. One attack that I witnessed 

 will be presented. 



We were sailing on the Indian river, 

 Florida, and had gone into the mouth of 

 the St. Sebastian river to fish. The wind 

 had died out entirely, and there was not 

 enough of air stirring to ripple the water 

 or flap the sail. Suddenly a Fish Hawk de- 

 scended and secured a mullet of good size, 

 and immediately made off with its prey. 



Then appeared a Bald Eagle, who flew 

 with rapid, powerful strokes toward the 

 successful fisher. The Osprey redoubled its 

 efforts to escape, but contrary to our wish 

 for a straight-away flight, and much better 

 chance, it immediately began to ascend iu 

 short spirals. 



The pursuer having arrived at a position 

 beneath the burdened Fish Hawk began to 



