IOWA ORNITHOLOGIST. 



09 



low along the ground. The 

 cheerful notes of the phcebe are 

 heard at intervals. At noon- 

 time we arrive at the hawk's 

 nest that looked so promising 

 two weeks ago. Sure enough, 

 the hawk is on. The male Red- 

 tail has been on lookout duty. At 

 our approach he slowly sails 

 across the ravine to the opposite 

 side of the ledges, and there re- 

 mains perched on the very top 

 of a large tree, from which point 

 of view he can keep his ever 

 watchful eye on our party, I 

 could not help but admire the 

 pretty red of his tail as he slowly 

 passed me. The female bird 

 left her nest and flew in an op- 

 posite direction from the one tak- 

 en by her mate. Disappearing 

 from view, she did not return 

 until we had attempted to climb 

 up to the nest. The nest was 

 placed in a large basswood about 

 fifty feet from the ground — was 

 bulky in stucture — about the size 

 of a bushel basket and composed 

 of sticks and twigs, mixed with 

 grasses and moss. The great 

 circumference of the tree made 

 it very difficult to reach the nest. 

 Having the whole day before us 

 Harry took it easy until he came 

 to the Red-tail's eyrie. When 

 he held up one egg and shouted 

 that there were two more, I went 



wild with joy. No one but a true 

 oologist can appreciate the sen- 

 sations of a successtul find. 



During the taking of eggs, 

 both hawks circled above the 

 nest, at times coming very close, 

 uttering harsh cries — those of the 

 female were even pathetic. 



The eggs were brought down 

 safely and admired by all of us. 

 Having securely packed them in 

 my collecting bag, we started for 

 the river by way of the Ledges. 

 Near the river, in a red oak, we 

 took a set of crow's eggs. From 

 here we went to Crow's Point — 

 there obtaining a splendid view 

 for miles around — the river curl- 

 ing in and out — shining like sil- 

 ver in the sunlight. 



Crows, red-tail hawks and buz- 

 zards congregate at this poini in 

 large numbers. The farmers 

 living in the edge of the woods 

 keep up a constant warfare 

 against the Red-tail. Even the 

 woodsman who has a few old 

 hens does not spare this noble 

 bird for fear that the "hen-hawk" 

 will carry off his small flock of 

 poultry. His boys delight in 

 climbing the forest giants to de- 

 stroy the eggs. If the nest con- 

 tains young they are thrown out 

 of their lofty home, where only 

 a few minutes before they were 

 greedily devouring a field mouse 



