The Policemen of the Air 



87 



Photo from the Biological Survey 

 PELI.UTS THROWN UP BY OWI,S, CONTAINING BONES AND HAIR OF MICE, NATURAL SIZE 



are on duty throughout the 24 hours, and 

 thus are enabled to prey on all kinds of 

 rodents, large and small, those which are 

 abroad by night as well as those active by 

 day. 



The bulk of the depredations on birds 

 and chickens due to hawks is committed 

 by three species — the Cooper and sharp- 

 shinned hawks and the goshawk ; and the 

 sportsman and farmer's boy should learn 

 to know these daring robbers by sight, so 

 as to kill them whenever possible. The 

 so-called "hen-hawks," usually either the 

 red-shouldered or red-tail hawk, are too 

 often made victims of a bad name ; for 

 while both species occasionally snatch a 

 chicken, the habit is far too uncommon to 

 justify the name "hen-hawk." The good 

 these two big hawks do in the long run 

 by destroying rats and mice far more 

 than compensates the farmer for the in- 

 significant damage he suffers at their 

 talons. 



CURIOUS METHODS OE DIGESTION 



Both hawks and owls often swallow 

 their prey entire or in large fragments,, 

 together with the bones, hair, and even 

 some of the feathers. Avian digestion is- 

 both good and rapid, but it is unequal to- 

 the task of assimilating such substances, 

 and accordingly both hawks and owls 

 throw up these rejecta in the form of 

 neatly rolled pellets. In studying the 

 food habits of birds of prey much use is- 

 made of these pellets, and the vicinity of 

 a nest of a pair of horned owls, for in- 

 stance, often contains an unmistakable- 

 record of the birds' food, and perhaps- 

 that of the young, for months or even' 

 years. 



From the foregoing it will at once ap- 

 pear that the practice of offering bounties 

 indiscriminately for the heads of hawks 

 and owls, as has been done bv some 

 states, is a mistake, and results not onlv 



