HAWKS 167 



beyond the grove, to watch a flock of seringos, 1 perhaps 

 Savannah sparrows, which, with some F. hyemalis 2 and 

 other sparrows, were actively flitting about amid the 

 alders and dogwood. . . . Suddenly a pigeon hawk 3 

 dashed over the bank very low and within a rod of me, 

 and, striking its wings against the twigs with a clatter 

 close to a sparrow, which escaped, it alighted amid the 

 alders in front, within four rods of me. It was attracted 

 by the same objects which attracted me. It sat a few 

 moments, balancing itself and spreading its tail and 

 wings, — a chubby little fellow. Its back appeared a 

 sort of deep chocolate-brown. Every sparrow at once 

 concealed itself, apparently deep in the bushes next 

 the ground. Once or twice he dashed down there amid 

 the alders and tried to catch one. In a few minutes he 

 skimmed along the hedge by the path and disappeared 

 westward. But presently, hearing the sound of his 

 wings amid the bushes, I looked up and saw him dash- 

 ing along through the willows and then out and up- 

 ward high over the meadow in pursuit of a sparrow 

 (perhaps a seringo). The sparrow flew pretty high and 

 kept doubling. When it flew direct, the hawk gained, 

 and got within two or three feet of it ; but when it 

 doubled, it gained on the hawk ; so the latter soon gave 

 up the chase, and the little bird flew off high over my 

 head, with a panting breath and a ripplmg, ricochet 

 flight, toward the high pine grove. When I passed 



1 [See note to Savannah Sparrow, p. 290.] 



2 \Fringilla hyemalis, the slate-colored junco or snowbird, now known 

 as Junco hyemalis.] 



8 Was I sure ? 



