H. C. OBERHOLSER. m 



Raw beef and veal formed the principal element of their 

 diet, but animal food of any description was readily ac- 

 cepted. Birds given them were eaten piecemeal and de- 

 voured, all but a few of the larger feathers. They much 

 preferred fresh to stale meat, and took the latter only when 

 pressed by hunger. But the skinned carcasses of two Kill- 

 deers, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak and a Scarlet Tanager, 

 which were in an advanced stage of decomposition, were 

 eaten without hesitation. Vegetable food of all kinds was 

 invariably refused. If fat adhered in any considerable 

 quantity to the beef given them, they carefully removed all 

 the flesh and left the fat uneaten, though to a small amount 

 they took no exception. Except when unusually hungry 

 they disliked being observed while eating, and much care- 

 ful manoeuvering was often necessary to obtain opportunity 

 to watch them while thus engaged. They were fed usually 

 every day, four or five ounces of flesh constituting their 

 ordinary rations. Sometimes, however, they happened to 

 miss their daily meal, a neglect which they always resented 

 by loud cries, continued throughout much of the day. A 

 two or three days' fast, however, did not seem to cause them 

 inconvenience, neither to much affect their appetites, for 

 they were at all times great gourmands, never allowing any- 

 thing edible to remain two hours in the cage unconsumed. 

 Their food was given in comparatively large pieces, which 

 holding sometimes with one foot, sometimes with both, they 

 would tear and devour. Their actions while thus engaged 

 were at times quite ludicrous, for occasionally by under- 

 estimation of their own strength, or a miscalculation of the 

 toughness of the meat, their efforts would end in a most un- 

 ceremonious tumble. 



Sometimes, too, both of the Hawks would struggle for pos- 

 _session of the same morsel ; wings, tails and claws being 

 brought into requisition until either it was divided or the 

 male gave up his hold ; for these encounters nearly always 

 resulted in favor of the female, either by reason of her own 



