COOPER'S HAWK. 99 



the same time observed the Hawk rising, as if without effort, a few yards in 

 the air, and again falling towards the ground with the rapidity of lightning. 

 I proceeded to the spot, and found the Hawk grappled to the body of the 

 Cock, both tumbling over and over, and paying no attention to me as I 

 approached. Desirous of seeing the result, I remained still, until perceiving 

 that the Hawk had given a fatal squeeze to the brave Cock, I ran to secure 

 the former; but the marauder had kept a hawk's eye upon me, and, disen- 

 gaging himself, rose in the air in full confidence. The next moment I pulled 

 a trigger, and he fell dead to the ground. It proved a young male; such as 

 you see, kind reader, represented in the Plate, pursuing a lovely Blue-bird 

 nearly exhausted. The Cock was also dead; its breast was torn, and its neck 

 pierced in several places by the sharp claws of the Hawk. 



Some years afterwards, not far from the famed Falls of Niagara, in the 

 month of June, one of these Hawks, which on being examined proved to be 

 a female, attacked a brood of young chickens, yet under the care of their 

 mother. It had just struck one of the chickens, and was on the eve of 

 carrying it off in its claws, when the hen, having perceived the murderous 

 deed, flew against the Hawk with such force as to throw it fairly on its back, 

 when the intrepid mother so effectively assailed the miscreant with feet and 

 bill, as to enable me, on running up, to secure the latter. 



This species frequently kills and eats the Grous commonly called the 

 Pheasant [Tetrao Umbellus). Partridges and young hares are also favourite 

 dainties. It also follows the Wild Pigeons in their migrations, and always 

 causes fear and confusion in their ranks. 



It breeds in the mountainous districts of the Middle and Northern States, 

 to which it returns early in spring from the Southern States, where it spends 

 the winter in considerable numbers, and is known by the name of the Great 

 Pigeon Hawk. 



The nest is usually placed in the forks of the branch of an Oak tree, 

 towards its extremity. In its general appearance it resembles that of the 

 Common Crow, for which I have several times mistaken it. It is composed 

 externally of numerous crooked sticks, and has a slight lining of grasses and 

 a few feathers. The eggs are three or four, almost globular, large for the 

 size of the bird, of a dullish white colour, strongly granulated, and conse- 

 quently rough to the touch. It was on discovering one of these nests that I 

 wounded the second adult male which I have seen, but which never returned 

 to its nest, on which I afterwards shot the female represented in the Plate, 

 in the act of pouncing. I have several times found other nests of birds of 

 this species, but the owners were not in full plumage, and their eyes had not 

 obtained the rich orange colouring of the adult birds. 



Those which I have observed near the Falls of Niagara were generally 



