THE RED-TAILED HAWK. 95 



and showing him every possible attention; but, like a genuine 

 savage, he will neither eat nor show any sign of grief or 

 submission. And yet I must admire him, for he finally dies 

 without any yielding of spirit, without any disposition 

 whatever to become a slave^ 



The Hawks, as a group belonging to the birds of prey, 

 are placed between the Owls and the Vultures. The Hawks 

 again, according to their structure, are naturally arranged into 

 Harriers, Falcons, True-hawks, Buzzards and Fish-hawks. 

 The Red-tailed Hawk, often called the Hen Hawk, is a 

 Buzzard, and, like the rest of the Buzzards, is so nearly 

 related to the Eagle as to afford very little structural dif- 

 ference. In dignity of habit this Hawk, as well as some 

 others, stands above the Eagle. The latter is often a notori- 

 ous thief, wresting the hard-earned prey from other birds, 

 or even condescending to the most putrid carrion, while the 

 Hawks in general capture their own prey. The fare of the 

 Red-tailed Hawk is quite in keeping with his dignified 

 bearing, consisting generally of hares, squirrels, birds, barn- 

 yard fowl, frogs, or a fancy snake. In search of the latter, 

 or perhaps even of mice, you may sometimes see him scour- 

 ing the meadows somewhat in the manner of the Marsh 

 Hawk. Generally, however, with a keen-sightedness which 

 is perfectly marvelous, he descries his prey from the 

 enormous height of his spiral sailing, sometimes dropping 

 almost meteor-like, and then suddenly checking himself, he 

 seizes his quarry unawares; or he alights on it from some 

 perch near by, whence he has been reconnoitering an im- 

 mense reach of territory. On the whole, if it were not for 

 his depredations on the poultry-yard, we should think more 

 of him than of any other bird of prey. The natural adap- 

 tation of this class of birds to a life of cruelty makes them 

 repulsive to the tenderer feelings, unless, indeed, we conceive 



