84 BIRDS OP PENNSYLVANIA. 



This Hawk the most abundant of our raptorial birds is the de- 

 tested " Hen Hawk " of the farmer. The Red-tailed Hawk is exceed- 

 ingly shy and wary, and is taken with difficulty, unless approached 

 on horse back or in a sleigh or wagon. Red-tailed Hawks in their fall 

 migrations are gregarious. One clear, cold autumn afternoon in 1876, 

 I saw, near West Chester, a flock of these Hawks. The sky was des- 

 titute of clouds, except a cumulus stratum directly beneath, and ap- 

 parently about halfway between the Hawks and the earth. In the 

 center of this vapor was an opening of sufficient size to enable me to 

 watch the gyrations of the birds; two of them suddenly separated 

 from the main body, approached each other screaming, and apparently 

 in great rage. They descended screaming, and, to all appearances, 

 clinched to within about one hundred yards of the earth, when they 

 parted. Evidently neither bird had received much injury, as they 

 both, after taking short flights across the meadow, ascended in com- 

 pany with two or three of their companions that had accompanied 

 them part way down, to the main body. Another individual closed 

 his wings until the body presented a triangular outline, descended 

 with almost lightening-like rapidity to the top of a sycamore, where 

 it alighted, and remained for some seconds pluming itself. This party 

 of Hawks, after performing for nearly twenty minutes, these, and nu- 

 merous other aerial antics, continued their southern flight. Combats 

 in mid-air are quite common among Red-tailed Hawks. I have re- 

 peatedly witnessed such battles, and am fully convinced that in the 

 great majority of cases food is the incentive to such action. Illustra- 

 tive of the superior vision of this Hawk and the same applies to 

 other of the Rapacia the following is given, as observed by the 

 writer : A clear morning early in March, I saw a Red-tail circling 

 over the meadows ; every circle took him higher and higher in the 

 air, until at an altitude where he appeared no larger than a blackbird, 

 he stopped, and with nearly closed wings, descended like an arrow to 

 a tree near by me ; from this perch, almost the same instant he had 

 alighted, he flew to the ground and snatched from its grassy covert a 

 mouse. The momentum with which this bird passed through the at- 

 mosphere produced a sound not very unlike that of the rush of distant 

 water. This species when wounded, like all other rapacious birds, will 

 defend itself with its claws and bill against all advances. A stick or 

 gun barrel presented to it, when crippled, will be grasped, and the 

 bird can be carried pendant from the same a considerable distance 

 before it will loose its hold. With such tenacity do they hold on that 

 a friend of mine who had winged one, in his endeavors to capture it 

 alive, had the bird to fasten on his forearm with both claws ; to relieve 

 himself he was obliged to take out his penknife and sever the tendons 

 of both legs. 



