The Birds of Wyoming. 65 



squirrels (Spermophilus and Tamias) and rabbits, so abundant 

 and excessively injurious to crops in some parts of the west. 

 In western Texas Mr. lyloyd states that the Red-tail 'feeds 

 on prairie dogs, cotton-tails, jack-rabbits, and occasionally 

 brings a scaled quail to the young.' (Auk, Vol. IV, 1887, 

 p. 188.) 



"Of 562 stomachs examined by the author, 54 contained 

 poultry or game birds; 51, other birds; 278, mice; 131, other 

 mammals; 37, batrachians and reptiles; 47, insects; 8, craw- 

 fish; 13, offal; and 89 were empty. It has been demonstrated 

 by careful stomach examination that poultry and game birds 

 do not constitute more than 10 per cent of the food of this- 

 Hawk, and that all the other beneficial animals preyed upon,, 

 including snakes, will not increase this proportion to 15 per 

 cent. Thus the balance in favor of the Hawk is at least 85, 

 per cent, made up largely of various species of injurious ro- 

 dents — a fact that every thoughtful farmer should remem- 

 ber. It is not to be denied that a good deal of poultry is de- 

 stroyed by this Hawk, but the damage done is usually among 

 the less vigorous fowls in the late fall, and in view of the 

 great number of injurious rodents as well as other noxious 

 animals which this Hawk destroys it should seem equivalent 

 to a misdemeanor to kill one, except in the act of carrying 

 off poultry. The fact that there are robbers among Hawks is 

 no sound argument for exterminating any and every one." 



Jesurun states that these birds are numerous at Douglas ; 

 Bond finds them common at Cheyenne, and Coues found them 

 in Wyoming; Grinnell fouixd them abundant in Yellowstone 

 park; Drexel took one specimen west of Fort Laramie, 1857; 

 Gary reports them from Newcastle. There are two skins in 

 the University collection. 



342. Buteo swainsoni Bonap. 

 Swainson's Hawk. 



Summer resident; common. Nest usually in low trees, 

 the nest being only a few feet from the ground. On the Lar- 



