seconds and then drops quickly to the ground. Clutching his 

 prey in his talons, he flies back to his lookout before devouring 

 it though it be but a field mouse. 



Soon he makes another venture and, as he returns to his 

 tree, we discover that he has captured a snake. After killing 

 it, he proceeds with much gulping and jerking of the head to 

 swallow it whole. Again he darts ofif, this time into a thicket, 

 and in a few moments comes back with a small bird in his 

 talons. He may have taken any one of several species, for he 

 is not always careful to select a Sparrow for his dinner. Pos- 

 sibly it is a Robin, a Blue Jay or a Blackbird. His superior 

 strength makes him more than a match for any one of them 

 and they often fall victims to his appetite. 



A final dash may be made from the tree to the ground 

 where at last he remains for some time. Now he is taking a 

 dessert of grasshoppers and bugs which make up no small part 

 of his food. If frightened by your approach, he flies away to 

 the woods. His cry is a sharp, rapidly repeated killy-killy-killy- 

 killy. 



BIRD NOTES 



77 



