BIRDS OF THE UNITED STATES. 
115 
the garnered grain. These visits should be encouraged by all means. The 
adult chicken is too heavy a burden for such apparently frail creatures 
to bear away, and as for the young, they are generally too well guarded 
by the j^arent, to become very easy victims. It is only when the chicks 
have been scattered, that this Hawk has the audacity and hardihood to 
venture an assault upon the brood. Unlike many sjaecies, our little friend 
does not pursue its prey, but prefers to watch for it while perched upon a 
dead tree, or on a projecting twig. Here, solitary and alone, it will remain 
for hours, without perceptibly changing its j^osition. The only motion 
visible at the time, is a j^eculiar jerking of the tail, which seems to betray 
an over-anxiety for something to turn up. A very common place of resort 
is a clump of bushes, or a hedge-row. The abundance of small birds 
which seek such situations being the cause of the attraction thither. 
Thus the sexes keej:) apart from each other, and feast on the fat of 
the land, until the latter part of April, or the beginning of May, when 
the male, who is the first to abandon this selfish mode of life, desists 
therefrom, though hardly without a great effort, and prej^ares to lead the 
way by calling his i^artner from her near or far-off feeding -grounds. 
Standing upon a dead branch in an ojjen situation, he sounds his j^eculiar 
call-note, at somewhat irregular intervals, and, anon, turns himself round 
as though to catch the well-known response, or to .see the agreeable pres- 
ence. For hours at a time he may be thus seen where undisturbed by 
bird or man. If no reply is elicited, he darts away in great hurry, and 
tries his fortunes elsewhere. This is usually the case with young males. 
But with old birds the rule is different. They mostly select the ]:)artners 
of past years, and there is always less formality in renewals of 2fiig'hted 
vows. The suits of the younger and more spirited males are often 
attended with considerable difficulty. This arises chiefly from the fickle- 
ness and waywardness of the young females, who seem hard to woo, and 
who often indulge in cruel flirtations, much to the annoyance of their 
resj^ective suitors. These little j^ranks upon their jiart are generally of 
short continuance, and soon decided one way or the other. If settled in 
