SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. 33 



Mr. William Lloyd, writing from western Texas, says that he has seen 

 it fly away with a pullet as big or bigger than itself, and so heavy that 

 the legs dragged the ground. (Auk, vol. iv, 1887, p. 188.) 



In times past when the wild pigeon was common, this little hawk 

 caused great annoyance as well as loss to trappers. While standing 

 in the bow-house scanning the horizon for an incoming flock, the man 

 on watch would suddenly be startled by the violent fluttering of his 

 'stool pigeon' or of one of the 'fliers,' and upon looking around would 

 find one of these little marauders fastened to the bird — a serious loss 

 if he did not have a reserve pigeon, for hundreds might pass in easy 

 hailing distance of his bow-house and still he would be powerless with- 

 out the decoy. Many times has the writer stood near a bow-house and 

 killed one of these Hawks which had been attracted to the spot from a 

 considerable distance by the hovering stool pigeon. The following 

 note from Mr. H. W. Henshaw shows that it is partial to this food in 

 the West also : 



" Upon one occasion, while watching a pair of doves feeding upon 

 the ground, a female of this species made a daring and successful swoop 

 upon one of them, passing within a few feet of the observer's head. As 

 a further illustration of the bravery and hardihood with which this 

 bird pursues its prey, it maybe mentioned that one was observed in the 

 town of Pauquitch [Utah,] eagerly pursuing a common pigeon, appar- 

 ently oblivious of the presence of spectators, who for some time vainly 

 endeavored to drive it away." (Explor. West of the 100th Merid., 

 Wheeler, vol. v, 1875, p. 417.) 



Occasionally it will attack a bird many times its size, as the follow- 

 ing quotation from Mr. Maynard demonstrates: "I once saw one 

 strike down a fully-grown Mght Heron that chanced to be abroad by 

 day. * * * The slow-moving heron fell to the ground at once, but, 

 fortunately for him, in falling he gave vent to one of those discordant 

 squawks which only a bird of this species is capable of uttering, and 

 which so astonished and frightened the hawk that it completely forgot 

 to take advantage of its prostrate prey." (Birds of Eastern l^T. A., 

 1880, p. 304.) 



Little can be said in favor of this Hawk although its daring, courage, 

 and impudence are to be admired. On this and the two following 

 species mainly rest the responsibility for the ill favor with which the 

 other Hawks are regarded. A score of valuable species suffer because 

 they belong to a class which includes two or three noxious kinds. How- 

 ever, like most villains, it has at least one redeeming quality, and that 

 is its fondness for the English sparrow, our imported bird-nuisance. 

 This Hawk is gradually learning that there is a never-failing supply of 

 food for it in the larger towns and cities. The Sharp-shinned Hawk is 

 not uncommon in Central Park, New York, all through the winter, 

 where the writer has witnessed it chasing sparrows, as he has also in 

 some of the larger parks in Washington, D. 0, Numerous reports 

 7626— No. 3 3 



