34 THE RED-TAILED BUZZARD. 



him to see to a great distance around. His posture is now erect, he remains 

 still and silent, moving only his head, as on all other occasions, to enable his 

 keen eye to note the occurrences which may take place in his vicinity. 

 The lively Squirrel is seen gaily leaping from one branch to another, or 

 busily employed in searching for the fallen nuts on the ground. It has found 

 one. Its bushy tail is beautifully curved along its back, the end of it falling 

 off with a semicircular bend; its nimble feet are seen turning the nut quickly 

 round, and its teeth are already engaged in perforating the hard shell; when, 

 quick as thought, the Red-tailed Hawk, which has been watching it in all its 

 motions, falls upon it, seizes it near the head, transfixes and strangles it, 

 devours it on the spot, or ascends exultingly to a branch with the yet palpi- 

 tating victim in his talons, and there feasts at leisure. 



As soon as the little King-bird has raised its brood, and when its courage 

 is no longer put in requisition for the defence of its young or its mate, the 

 Red-tailed Hawk visits the farm-houses, to pay his regards to the poultry. 

 This is done without much precaution, for, while sailing over the yard where 

 the chickens, the ducklings, and the young turkeys are, the Hawk plunges 

 upon any one of them, and sweeps it off to the nearest wood. When 

 impelled by continued hunger, he now and then manages to elude the vigi- 

 lance of tiie Martins, Swallows and King-birds, and watching for a good 

 opportunity, falls upon and seizes an old fowl, the dying screams of which 

 are heard by the farmer at the plough, who swears vengeance against the 

 robber. He remembers that he has observed the Hawk's nest in the woods, 

 and full of anger at the recollection of the depredations which the plunderer 

 has already committed, and at the anticipation of its many visits during the 

 winter, leaves his work and his horses, strides to his house, and with an axe 

 and a rifle in his hands proceeds towards the tree, where the hopes of the 

 Red-tailed Hawk are snugly nestled among the tall branches. The farmer 

 arrives, eyes the gigantic tree, thinks for a moment of the labour which will 

 be required for felling it, but resolves that he shall not be overreached by a 

 Hawk. He throws aside his hat, rolls up his sleeves, and applies himself to 

 the work. His brawny arms give such an impulse to the axe, that at every 

 stroke large chips are seen to fall off on all sides. The poor mother-bird, 

 well aware of the result, sails sorrowfully over and around. She would fain 

 beg for mercy towards her young. She alights on the edge of the nest, and 

 would urge her offspring to take flight. But the farmer has watched her 

 motions. The axe is left sticking in the core of the tree, his rifle is raised 

 to his shoulder in an instant, and the next moment the whizzing ball has 

 pierced the heart of the Red-tailed Hawk, which falls unheeded to the earth. 

 The farmer renews his work, and now changes sides. A whole hour has 

 been spent in the application of ceaseless blows. He begins to look upwards, 



