124 BIRD PARADISE 



A party of crows were foraging on the upland just 

 beyond. Something disturbed them and they 

 came lumbering into the swamp in their heavy 

 way. One of them dropped down into the very 

 tree where the nest was, nearly into the nest it- 

 self. He had no sooner struck the spot than -the 

 father of the callow brood struck him. He 

 tumbled over and kept tumbling over, the hawk 

 rendering all the assistance he could. The 

 sounds the discomfited crow uttered are nowhere 

 written in the vernacular of Croker's tongue. 

 The order of his going had no stay in it until he 

 was well out of the woods. The entire flock took 

 their departure with him, the hawk remaining 

 master of the field. 



Passing near the Bailey swamp I discovered 

 a marsh-hawk, evidently preparing his midday 

 meal. Somewhere in the marsh he had picked up 

 a savory morsel and when I saw him he was seated 

 on a limb dissecting and eating his prize. 

 Among our many species of hawks this fellow 

 that dwells in the marshy places is in many 

 respects the most interesting. He has many of 

 the characteristics of his la,rge family, though in 

 the main he seems of a more genial temperament 



