12 INTRODUCTION. 



a secure place in the first class were it not for the fact that occasion- 

 ally it seizes small birds and, less frequently, a stray chicken. Still the 

 harm it does in this way is inconsiderable compared with the benefits 

 it confers by the destruction of harmful rodents. 



The Buzzard Hawks, Avhich include the next nine species, are large 

 and sluggish and too slow of wing to secure such agile prey as wild 

 birds or even poultry. Their staple food consists of small mammals, 

 insects, snakes, toads, and frogs. 



The Bed-tailed Hawk, in some respects the representative of the 

 group, is one of the best known hawks, and shares with the Bed- 

 shouldered Hawk the odious appellation of l Hen Hawk.' It is not 

 to be denied that both species occasionally attack poultry, but the 

 amount destroyed is so small compared with their other food — mostly 

 noxious animals — that it is scarcely to be considered, except perhaps 

 by the individual farmer whose barnyard happens to be visited by the 

 robber. Moreover, in a large majority of cases the poultry and game 

 secured by these hawks are the less active individuals, which from age, 

 accident, or disease are unable to escape from their attacks. 



The Bed- shouldered Hawk is probably one of the most omnivorous 

 of our birds of prey — eating with apparent relish the following crea- 

 tures, which represent as many different classes : Mice, birds, snakes, 

 frogs, fish, grasshoppers, centipedes, spiders, crawfish, earthworms, and 

 snails. At least 65 per cent of its food consists of injurious mammals, 

 and, taking into consideration also the number of insects devoured, the 

 showing is remarkably good for the poor 'Hen Hawk,' especially when 

 less than 2 per cent consists of the food which confers upon it that 

 sobriquet. Both these hawks suffer for the misdeeds of others, and 

 are striking examples of the effects of having a bad name. 



Swainson's Hawk is another of the Buteos which is of great service, 

 warring upon creatures which do injury to crops. Its food is much 

 the same as that of the other hawks of this class, except that insects 

 seem to be eaten in larger numbers. Grasshoppers and crickets are 

 particularly sought after, and on the foothills and plains of the West 

 Swainson's Hawks congregate in large flocks wherever these insects 

 are abundant. Dr. Merriam has estimated that at least 200 grasshop- 

 pers are consumed daily by one hawk; and in the course of a month 

 a flock of about 105 individuals, which is a small estimate of the num- 

 ber actually seen together in various localities feeding upon grasshop- 

 pers, will destroy 1,000,000 adult insects — a benefit to agriculture which 

 no farmer can fail to appreciate. 



When we consider the enormous amount of damage grasshoppers 

 have inflicted in a single season in some of the Western States — Kansas 

 for instance — the great benefit that results from the labors of this and 

 other hawks cannot be doubted. Many of the game birds — as the tur- 

 key, prairie chicken, sage cock, and quail — devour many grasshoppers j 



