RED-TAILED HAWK. 269 



less fury, and either force it to abandon the prize, or fight with the same 

 courage as its antagonist, to prevent the latter from becoming the sole 

 possessor. They are sometimes observed flying either one after the other 

 with great rapidity, emitting their continued cry of Jcae, or performing 

 beautiful evolutions through the air, until one or other of them becomes 

 fatigued, and giving way, makes for the earth, where the battle continues 

 until one is overpowered and obliged to make off. It was after witness- 

 ing such an encounter between two of these powerful marauders, fighting 

 hard for a young hare, that I made the drawing now before you, kind 

 reader, in which you perceive the male to have greatly the advantage over 

 the female, although she still holds the hare firmly in one of her talons, 

 even while she is driven towards the earth, with her breast upwards. 



I have observed that this species will even condescend to pounce on 

 wood-rats and meadow-mice ; but I never saw one of these birds seize 

 even those without first alighting on a tree before committing the act. 



During the winter months, the Red-tailed Hawk remains perched 

 for hours together, when the sun is shining and the weather calm. Its 

 breast is opposed to the sun, and it then is seen at a great distance, the 

 pure white of that portion of its plumage glittering as if possessed of a silky 

 gloss. They return to their roosting-places so late in the evening, that I 

 have frequently heard their cry after sun-set, mingling with the jovial notes 

 of Chuck- wiUV widow, and the ludicrous laugh of the Barred Owl. In 

 the State of Louisiana, the Red-tailed Hawk roosts amongst the tallest 

 branches of the Magnolia grandlflora, a tree which there often attains a 

 height of a hundred feet, and a diameter of from three to four feet at the 

 base. It is also fond of roosting on the tall Cypress- trees of our swamps, 

 where it spends the night in security, amidst the mosses attached to the 

 branches. 



The Red-tailed Hawk is extremely wary, and difficult to be approach- 

 ed by any one bearing a gun, the use of which it seems to understand 

 perfectly ; for no sooner does it perceive a man thus armed than it spreads 

 its wings, utters a loud shriek, and sails off in an opposite direction. On 

 the other hand, a person on horseback, or walking unarmed, may pass 

 immediately under the branch on which it is perched, when it merely 

 watches his motions as he proceeds. It seldom alights on fences, or the 

 low branches of trees, but prefers the highest and most prominent parts of 

 the tallest trees. It alights on the borders of clear streams to drink. I 

 have observed it in such situations, immersing its bill up to the eyes, and 

 swallowing as much as was necessary to quench its thirst at a single draught. 



