Music of the Wild 



2)rovi(le for tvvn niimitest details, the Iia\\k has his 

 place and liis purjjose. In order that he may not 

 become a burden when he levies upon us, he is 

 ^iven only two nestlings, while ^\e raise chickens 

 by the hundred; and the game bir<ls upon which 

 lie jjreys as a rule number from fifteen to twentj' 

 in a brood, like quail, rail, and ducks. There is 

 further to be considered that a earning of the 

 hawk's descent is almost universal in field and for- 

 est. If the scratching hen does not see him, a 

 nearby cock does; and if wild mothers are busy 

 searching for food there is the blue jay to tell on 

 him, and so tlie strongest of his prey take to cover 

 and he gets only the weakling, that is best re- 

 moved from tlie brood for t])e sake of the health 

 of those remaining or of young it might raise. 



There is not much to be said for hawk music, 



yet the voice of the forest ^^'Oulcl lose the charm 



The of its wildest note were this great ])ird extinct, and 



Wildest j|. jg because it is wild and different from sounds 



Note or . 



the Forest "I every day that we love it. Then, as a picture 

 seen from afar, the forest never would be comj^lete 

 without these birds of tireless wing hanging over 

 it and reigning upon their thrones of air. So I 

 hope earnest consideration will be given these 

 points in favor of the royal bird before another 

 of its kind is dropped from its high estate. 



Up where the hawk chants his battle-hymn, the 

 crow^ chuckles, and tlie pewee Avails, outlined clearly 



68 



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