64 THE HAWKS AND OWLS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



numerous bay-tree swamps are its favorite residence, as they serve as 

 a safe stronghold, and also harbor myriads of cotton rats, wMch are a 

 favorite prey with it. It would appear that this Hawk is not in the 

 habit of molesting the common small birds, as I have observed num- 

 bers of Blackbirds fly into the same tree with one, neither party pay- 

 ing any attention to the other. The bold little Sparrow Hawk has no 

 difficulty in driving this larger species, and I have seen a pair of Quail 

 rout a Eed-shoulder that had made a sally upon their brood." (Auk, 

 vol. VII, 1890, 1^0. 4, p. 339.) 



The following is a summary of Dr. B. H. Warren's investigations : 

 "In my examinations of fifty- seven of these Hawks which have been 

 captured in Pennsylvania, forty -three showed field mice, some few other 

 small quadrupeds, grasshoppers, and insects, mostly beetles; nine 

 revealed frogs and insects; two, small birds, remains of small mammals, 

 an'd a few beetles; two, snakes and portions of frogs. The gizzard of 

 one bird contained a few hairs of a field mouse and some long black 

 hairs which aj)peared very much like that of a skunk. The bird on 

 dissection gave a very decided odor of polecat. In two of these Hawks, 

 shot in Florida, I found in one portions of a small catfish, and in the 

 other remains of a small mammal and some few coleopterous insects." 

 (Birds of Pennsylvania, 1888, p. 89.) 



To sum up, the food of this Hawk consists of at least 65 per cent of 

 small rodents, which are very injurious to the farmer, and less than 2 

 per cent of poultry. It seems hardly necessary to more than mention 

 this fact to intelligent persons to convince them of the folly and short- 

 sightedness of destroying this valuable bird, and of the necessity of 

 fostering and ijrotecting it in the farm lands and orchards. 



The following species of mammals and birds were positively identi- 

 fied among the stomach contents : 



MAMMALS. BIUDS. 



Blmina brevicauda. Porzana Carolina. 



Blarina h. caroKnensis. Colinus virginiaiuis, 



Blai-ina exilipes. Zenaidura macroura. 



ICvotomya gapperi. Megascops asio. 



Arvicola riparius. Colaptes auratus. 



Arvicola piuetorum. Corvus aviericanus. 



Mils imiaculus. SturneUa magna. 



Sitomys aviericanus. AmmoAramus s. savanna, 



Didelphis. virginianus. Spizella pusilla. 



Lepus sylvaticus. Junco hyemalis, 



Scalops aquatious. Melospiaa fasciata. 



Tamiaa atriatus. Paaserella iUaca. 



Sdurns kiidaonicus. Passer domesticus. 



Sorex. Merula migratoria. 

 Fiber zibethicua. 

 Mephitis vwpMHca. 



The species seems to be rather more hardy than the Eed-t,iil; at least 

 it winters a little farther north, being found more or less commonly as 



