225
Lake Umbagog
1898
September 11
(No 2)
shot with a rifle, the ball shattering its wing badly.
It was a fine bird, very spirited in bearing, with flashing
hard eyes. I bought it for a trifle and after
photographing it, perched on mossy stump, I killed it
for there was no hope of its recovery.
  Just as we were leaving the house boat this morning
we saw two Sparrow Hawks playing together, chasing
one another along the shore, alighting on the topmost
sprays of the pines and spruces. Some of their aerial 
evolution was very graceful and beautiful. While
we were at the Falls another bird of the same
species passed directly over us.
[margin]Sparrow Hawks[/margin]
  As we were paddling down the river at about 3 P.M.
we saw a Great Horned Owl. It was quite as
alert and shy as a Hawk, starting from an ash tree
then entering the water which was fully eighty
yards away & flying back into the woods where
it alighted on a large branch and sat watching
us while we looked at it through our field glasses.
Will Sargent tells me that he often starts these Owls
along the banks of the Cambridge. He thinks
they are attracted there by the muskrats which
they prey upon freely.
[margin]Bubo 
virginianus[/margin]