4 Iowa Ornithologist. 



spiders ; 8, crawfish ; 1, earth worms ; 1, offal ; 1, catfish, and three were empty. 

 In addition to this List, moles, squiiTels, young rabbits, and small snakes enter 

 into its bill of fare. 



(12)—Buteo swainsoni. SWAINSON'S HAWK. 



This is a fairly common bird in Iowa. It is of an exceedingly peaceful 

 disposition and seldom kills a bird or makes a visit to a poultry yard unless 

 food should be more than ordinarily scarce. It lives alrtiost entirely on the 

 smaller quadi'upeds — squirrels, gophers, rats and mice. It also kills large 

 numbers of insects, and remains of snakes are occasionally found in its nest. 

 In localities where the large black cricket, so destructive to agricultural 

 interests, is found, this hawk is known to make them almost an exclusive 

 article of diet. 



( l3)—Buteo latlssimus. BROAD- WINGED HAWK. 



The Broad- winged Hawk is fairly common in Iowa on the average, be- 

 ing quite common in some portions, and being almost lacking in others. It 

 is one of the most beneficial of our Raptores, seldom committing depredations 

 in the poultry yard, and only rarely killing a small bird of any kind. Its food 

 consists chiefly of harmful rodents, such as weasels, mice, gophers, ground 

 squirrels, shrews, frogs, toads, small snakes, larvae of insects, grass-hoppers, 

 and beetles. 



[CONTINUED IN NEXT ISSUE.] 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE COWBIRD. 



BY DAVID L. SAVAGE. 



Paper read before the Second Congress of I. O. A. 



WITH what rare pleasure do we watch for the return of the birds, when 

 all nature is awakening into new life ! At tliis season of the year, 

 the gurghng notes of the Cowbird seem to possess a degree of melody. The 

 first scattered flocks arrive during the last week in March or the first week in 

 April, and in a short time are followed by large numbers which scatter almost 

 indiscriminately over the open fields and woodlands, along the streams and 

 marshes. Their superabundance and the presence of more beautiful songsters, 

 soon makes their attempt at singing sink into insignificance. 



The Cow bird seems to have a slight preferelice for pasture lands, where 

 horses, cattle and sheep are grazing ; they are continually running about the 

 feet of the animals, sometimes perching on their backs. I have seen as many 

 as six at one time perched on a sheep's back. The insects which accompany 

 the herds form the attraction for the birds. 



During the latter part of July until the first of September, adult birds of 

 this species are seldom seen, during these sultry days they either go north or 

 pass their time in secluded places. Early in September flocks may be seen 



