TWO HAWKS TO BE DESTROYED 



331 



early and violent death. By a strange coinci- 

 dence, it bears a strong resemblance to the sharp- 

 shinned hawk, both in form and color, but it is a 

 much larger bird. Leaving size out of consider- 

 ation, it is difficult to describe in words the 

 slight differences that exist between the two. 



Being a bird of strong and rapid flight, much 

 strength and activity, and great boldness, it is well 

 equipped for raiding poultry-yards, and carrying 

 off almost anything except geese and turkeys. 

 Of 133 stomachs examined by Dr. Fisher, 34 

 contained poultry or game-birds ; 52, other birds ; 

 11, mammals; 1, a frog; 3, lizards; 2, insects, 

 and 39 were empty. The game-birds found were 

 1 ruffed grouse, 8 quails and 5 pigeons. Alto- 

 gether, 21 species of useful birds had been eaten, 

 but only 4 mice, 1 rat and 1 grasshopper. 



No record could be much blacker than this, 

 and Cooper's Hawk is a pest whose career de- 

 serves to be ended by three drachms of powder 

 and an ounce and a half of No. 6 shot, whenever 

 opportunity offers. If gunners could only dis- 

 criminate, 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 American Goshawk' is to Canada 

 and Alaska what Cooper's hawk is to the United 

 States, — a wholesale destroyer 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 slaifi it for dinner, and also to follow a 

 hen into a house, and seize it in the presence of 

 its owner. (Fisher.) 



The length of the fioshawk is from 21 to 2.5 

 inches. The top of its head is black, and its up- 

 per 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. 

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



The Marsh-Hawk^ is essentially a prairie- 

 hawk; and in the open and fertile uplands of 

 the Mississippi valley, it is one of the most con- 

 spicuous species. It loves farming regions 

 wherein members of the Mouse Family are plenti- 

 ful and cheap. In hunting it flies low, in a very 

 business-like way, just above the grain or tall 

 grass, and its intentions are so apparent that 

 the American farmer gave it credit for its good 

 work, years before the true value of the once- 

 despised "Hen-Hawk" became known. 



This hawk is not beautiful, either in form, 

 color or movement. To me it always seems to 

 have too much sail area for the size of its hull. 

 Its adult color is drab, or bluish-gray, but the 



COOPEE S H,\WK. 



females and immature males are rusty brown, 



much like the red-shouldered hawk. However, 



this hawk can always be distinguished by the 



large white patch on the rump, just above the 



tail. 



One of the first facts about the nesting of hawks 



that comes to a Western farmer boy by personal 



^ Cir'cvs hud-son' i-ns. 

 inches. 



Average length, about 22 



