1892
Oct. 20
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord.- Clear and cooler with light N.W. wind.
  Not feeling well to-day I did not go shooting.
Melvin, however, beat nearly all our northern ground
in company with a Mr. Adams the owner of the
dog he (Melvin) has used last year & this. They
actually did not start a single Woodcock and
saw only five Partridges. Two sportsmen whom they
met had killed one Woodcock only. Evidently
there was no flight into the covers last night.
  This afternoon while fishing for aquarium
material in the river I saw a Pigeon Hawk
coming over the hill by the house. It passed
within 100 yards of me flying very swiftly with
vigorous, rapid, regular wing beats. As it approached
Flint's bridge it changed its course slightly &
setting its wings glided with the speed of an
arrow directly towards the top of a large elm
in which several small birds, apparently Yellow-
rump Warblers, were flitting about. As it was
passing close over the top of the tree it stopped
abruptly and dropped a foot or two at the
same time lowering its feet and striking at one
of the little birds which dodged & escaped. The
Hawk then instantly resumed its flight & crossing
the river alighted in a leafless elm. As nearly
as I could make out it saw the small birds
when it changed its course and tried to pick
one of them off an upper twig. This is, I think,
an unusual proceeding for this Falcon.
[margin]Pigeon Hawk
strikes at
a bird in
a tree top[/margin]