The Marsh Hawk 79 



meadow; its long wings and tail, and especially the large white patch at the 

 base of the tail above. There is certainly no excuse for killing the Marsh 

 Hawk because of mistaken identity. All of the data regarding the food of 

 this species of Hawk shows that it lives very largely upon a class of rodents, 

 that do the farmers and fruit-growers of the country incalculable damage 

 in destroying forage crops, and especially in eating the bark from young 

 orchard trees and thus killing them. At a recent meeting of horticulturists 

 in New Jersey, one of the members present stated that during the present 

 winter, owing to the deep snows, mice and rabbits had damaged his 

 orchards to the extent of $2,000. In Kansas rodents are a scourge so 

 great that 



" Since January, 1902, the demand for poison has continued steady, and large quanti- 

 ties have been sold, especially for the destruction of prairie-dogs and pocket-gophers. Up 

 to the present time there has been consumed about twelve hundred pounds of strychnine 

 and over half a ton of potassium cyanide in manufacturing poison. From 600,000 to 

 700,000 acres of land, formerly infested with prairie dogs, have been entirely reclaimed, 

 while a partial destruction of them has been accomplished over a much larger area. The 

 destruction of pocket-gophers has been accomplished over many small and widely scattered 

 areas, including some of the best alfalfa ranches in the state. This work, however, has 

 thus far not extended over sufficiently large areas to be permanent; further and united 

 efforts only will produce results which will prevent loss to alfalfa growers from the 

 presence of this pest." (From Press Bulletin, No. 130, Kansas State Agl. College.) 



Kansas, like many other states, gives no protection whatever to Hawks 

 although scientific research shows them to be immensely valuable aids in killing 

 rodents. Poisons cost the farmer money, besides labor in distributing, and 

 then do good only if the rodent eats the bait; on the other hand, the 

 Marsh Hawk is always hungry, and during the long hours of daylight is 

 incessantly coursing back and forth hunting for food. It works continu- 

 ously without pay, and deserves legal protection as well as the care of every 

 person who tills the soil. The contents of 124 stomachs examined by the 

 Biological Survey, United States Department of Agriculture, shows that 

 45 per cent had been feeding on mice, 18 percent on other small mammals, 

 18 per cent on reptiles, frogs and insects, and a low percentage on poultry 

 and small birds. Dr. A. K. Fisher, who wrote the exhaustive and valuable 

 report quoted from above, says: 



"Although this Hawk occasionally carries off poultry and game-birds, its economic 

 value as a destroyer of mammal pests is so great that its slight irregularities should be par- 

 doned. Unfortunately, however, the farmer and sportsman shoot it down at sight, regard- 

 less or ignorant of the fact that it preserves an immense quantity of grain, thousands of 

 fruit trees and innumerable nests of game-birds by destroying the vermin which eat the 

 grain, girdle the trees, and devour the eggs and young of the birds. The Marsh Hawk 

 is unquestionably one of the most beneficial as it is one of our most abundant Hawks, and 

 its presence and increase should be encouraged in every way possible, not only by protect- 

 ing it by law, but by disseminating a knowledge of the benefits it confers. It is probably 

 the most active and determined foe of meadow-mice and ground-squirrels, destroying 



