H. C. OBERHOLSER. 



109 



pearing into the woods. Six days later it was found dead, 

 having, as was afterward ascertained, been mistaken for a 

 wild hawk and killed with a cane. 



On the i8th of June, 1892, the writer, through the kind- 

 ness of friends, procured three young Red-shouldered Hawks, 

 which had been taken from a nest in the northern part of 

 Wayne County, Ohio. The nest was difficult of access, and 

 the birds were obtained by pushing them from the nest with 

 a long pole. This was a tedious operation, for the birds 

 very strongly objected to such an unceremonious proceed- 

 ing. The cries of the young attracted the attention of the 

 parent Hawks, but as is usually the case they offered no 

 resistance, merely flying about overhead or perching upon 

 the neighboring trees, giving utterance to their displeasure in 

 frequent screams. The young birds when first brought 

 home were temporarily provided for in a small box in the 

 woodshed, but finding these quarters too cramped, they 

 were removed to an unused poultry house, and there placed 

 in an empty dry-goods case, the front of which was vertically 

 barred with slats. A single perch was nailed lengthwise 

 about the center of the box, and on this the birds subse- 

 quently spent the greater portion of their time. In lieu of 

 anything better the floor of this extemporized cage was 

 covered with a quantity of excelsior packing. Owing to a 

 fractured wing caused by the fall from the nest, it became 

 necessary on the third day of their confinement to kill one 

 of the birds. Although about four weeks old when taken 

 from the nest they refused to eat anything during the first 

 day and a half, except what was forced into their mouths. 

 By a little perseverance, however, they were soon induced to 

 take small pieces of raw beef from the fingers or from the 

 end of a small stick. The wing-broken bird was the first to 

 thus accept food. They very soon learned to pick up the 

 pieces of meat from the floor of the cage, and at the same 

 time refused to be fed with the stick, to all appearances be- 

 coming afraid of it. When they grew older, nothing seemed to 



