70 BIRDS OF PREY 



Hawk is a pest whose career deserves to be ended by three 

 drams of powder and an ounce and a half of No. 6 shot, when- 

 ever opportunity offers. If gunners could only discriminate, 

 the killing off of this species would make great sport for them; 

 but the trouble is, many innocent birds would be killed by 

 mistake. 



This bird inhabits the whole United States, but stops at 

 the Canadian boundary, and goes south to southern Mexico. 



The AiiERiCAN Goshawk^ is to Canada and Alaska 

 what Cooper's hawk is to the United States — a wholesale des- 

 troyer of game birds, serving no useful purpose whatever. To 

 the unprotected flocks of ptarmigan it is a genuine scourge, 

 and it merits destruction. Fortunately this hawk visits the 

 United States only in winter, and even then is by no means 

 numerous. Those who have had opportunities to observe it 

 in action consider it the boldest and most audacious hawk in 

 America. It has been known to seize a freshly killed chicken 

 from the side of the farmer who had slain it for dinner, and 

 also to follow a hen into a house, and seize it in the presence 

 of its owner. 



The length of the Goshawk is from 21 to 25 inches. The 

 top of its head is black, and its upper surface is bluish slate 

 color. Its whole under surface is white, with many gray cross 

 bars, in addition to which it is lined up and down with short, 

 black lines, rather far apart. The lower tail surface is crossed 

 by four gray bands. 



The Marsh Hawk^ is essentially a prairie hawk; and 



' Ac-cip'i-ter at-ri-cap'il-lus. 



2 C'ir'cus hud-son' i-us. Average length, about 22 inches. 



