CIRCUS CYANEUS VAK. HUDSONIUS, MAESH HAWK. 331 



The presence of water seems a necessary condition of its existence. 

 Along the Missouri Eiver it is the most abundant of the Hawlis, not 

 even excepting the Sparrow Hawk. I tools numerous individuals at 

 Fort Randall. On the coast of the Garolinas, over the salt-marshes, I 

 found it more plentiful than all other Hawks together. In traveling by 

 rail through the flat, fertile, and well-watered districts of Minnesota and 

 Iowa, in October, I was surprised at the number of these birds I saw; 

 they were almost continually in view, and sometimes several would be 

 seen at a time circling over the prairie, almost as if hunting in jiacks. 

 The bird may be recognized at any reasonable distance bj' its peculiar 

 configuration, produced by the length of the wings and tail, its easy 

 sailing flight, the singular bluish and white coloration of the adult male, 

 and the conspicuous white patch on the root of the tail of the female 

 and young. Probably none of our Hawks can be called properly gre- 

 garious, but the Marsh Hawk comes the nearest to being so ; the young 

 are said to hunt for some time in company, a statement that my ob- 

 servations probably confirm. When mated, the pairs of old birds 

 display the aflectiou and lidelity for which most rapacious birds are 

 noted, keeping close company as long as their cares and delights are 

 shared. 



The Marsh Harrier belongs among the "ignoble" birds of the 

 falconers, but is neither a weakling nor a coward, as one may easily 

 satisfy himself by handling a winged bird. Still, under ordinary 

 circumstances, its spirit is hardly commensurate with its physique, 

 and its quarry is humble. It lacks the splendid action that insures 

 success, in the pursuit of feathered game, to the dashing Falcons 

 and true Hawks; with all its stroke of wing, it acquires no such re- 

 sistless impetus. Audubon, indeed, says that at times, when impelled 

 by hunger, it will attack Partridges, Plovers, and even Teal; but he 

 adds, that be once saw a Marsh Hen come off victorious in a battle 

 with the Harrier. It ordinarily stoops to fleld-mice, small reptiles, and 

 insects. It is particularly fond of frogs ; these goggle-eyed and perspir- 

 ing creatures suffer more from the Harriers than from all the school- 

 boys that ever stoned them of a Saturday afternoon. The birds thus 

 particularly resemble the Eough-legged Buzzards in the nature of their 

 prey, aud we can see a reason why they are so tenacious of their 

 watery preserves. They hover at no great height, keenly surveying the 

 ground below, and drop directly on their quarry when it is descried. 

 They rarely pursue their prey or transport it to any distance when 

 secured, preferring to make a meal on the spot. Hence, it frequently 

 happens that, when walking in reedy covert, the gunner puts up a Marsh 

 Hawk, disturbed at its repast in the thick vegetation that served alike 

 to screen the bird and cover his own advance. At such a time, as the 

 bird flaps up and makes off at its best pace, it may be brought down 

 with the greatest ease. With wings of ample dimensions — even to be 

 called long in proportion to its weight— the bird nevertheless does not 

 fly very last ; it proceeds ordinarilj with regular, easy strokes, three or 

 four times in succession, and then sails until the impulse is exhausted. 

 It often courses very low over the ground, aud rather swiftly, turning, 

 passing and repassing, "quartering" the ground like a well-broken dog. 

 This is the habit that has given it the name of " Harrier," and, in some 

 sections, the less elegant designation of " Bog-trotter." The old male 

 is also sometimes called " Blue Hawk." 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



