58 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



farmer, for the occasional loss of a few chickens is of trifling con- 

 sequence compared with the good that these animals are constantly 

 doing in checking the increase of mice. 



" You ask my opinion in regard to the beneficial and injurious quali- 

 ties of the Hawks and Owls which inhabit Pennsylvania. This ques- 

 tion seems almost superflous in view of the fact that your own inves- 

 tigations, more than those of any other one person, have led to a bet- 

 ter knowledge of the food-habits of these birds, and what you have 

 done in the East Prof. Aughey, of Nebraska, has done in the West. 

 Many others have added their k mites,' till at the present time a suffi- 

 cient array of facts has been accumulated to enable us to state, with- 

 out fear of contradiction, that our Hawks and Owls must be ranked 

 among the best friends of the farmer. With very few exceptions, 

 their food consists of mice and insects, meadow-mice and grasshop- 

 pers predominating. The exceptions are the fierce Goshawk from the 

 North, and two smaller resident Hawks, Cooper's and the Sharp- 

 shinned, which really destroy many wild birds and some poultry. 

 These three Hawks have long tails and short wings, which serve, among 

 other characters, to distinguish them from the beneficial kinds. 



'Strange as it may appear to the average farmer, the largest Hawks 

 are the ones that do the most good. Foremost among these are the 

 Rough-legged and Marsh Hawks, which do not meddle with poultry 

 and rarely prey upon wild birds. 



u Of Hawks and Owls collectively, it may safely be said that, except 

 in rare instances, the loss they occasion by the destruction of poultry 

 is insignificant in comparison with the benefits derived by the farmer 

 and fruit grower from their constant vigilance ; for when unmolested 

 the one guards his crop by day and the other by night. 



" It is earnestly to be hoped that you will succeed not only in caus- 

 ing the repeal of the ill-advised act which provides a bounty for the 

 killing of Hawks and Owls, but that you will go farther, and secure 

 the enactment of a law which will impose a fine for the slaughter of 

 these useful birds. 



" Very truly yours, 



" C. HART MERRIAM, 

 "Ornithologist of the Department of Agriculture. 



"UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM, 



" Under Direction of the Smithsonian Institution, 



u WASHINGTON, March 5, 1886. 

 " DR. B. H. WARREN, West Chester, Pa. : 



u DEAR DR. WARREN : 1 am just in receipt of your letter of the 1st 

 instant, and therefore fear that my reply cannot reach you in time for 

 use at the meeting to-morrow evening. It affords me much pleasure, 



