HEN-HAWKS 143 



piece " — nothing but robin-shot. The body of the vic- 

 tim is delivered up to the children and the dog and, like 

 the body of Hector, is dragged so many times round 

 Troy. 



But alas for the youthful hawk, the proud bird of 

 prey, the tenant of the skies ! We shall no more see his 

 wave-like outline against a cloud, nor hear his scream 

 from behind one. He saw but a pheasant in the field, 

 the food which nature has provided for him, and stooped 

 to seize it. This was his offense. He, the native of these 

 skies, must make way for those bog-trotters from an- 

 other land, which never soar. The eye that was con- 

 versant with sublimity, that looked down on earth from 

 under its sharp projecting brow, is closed ; the head 

 that was never made dizzy by any height is brought 

 low ; the feet that were not made to walk on earth now 

 lie useless along it. With those trailing claws for grap- 

 nels it dragged the lower sky. Those wings which swept 

 the sky must now dust the chimney-corner, perchance. 

 So weaponed, with strong beak and talons, and wings, 

 like a war-steamer, to carry them about. In vain were 

 the brown-spotted eggs laid, in vain were ye cradled in 

 the loftiest pine of the swamp. Where are your father 

 and mother ? Will they hear of your early death ? before 

 ye had acquired your full plumage, they who nursed and 

 defended ye so faithfully ? 



Nov. 11, 1858. The tail-coverts of the young hen- 

 hawk, i. e. this year's bird, at present are white, very 

 handsomely barred or watered with dark brown in an 

 irregular manner, somewhat as above, the bars on op- 

 posite sides of the midrib alternating in an agreeable 



