Concord, Mass.
1907
Sept. 26
(No 2)
an especially large piece of flesh. At length the cries of
the victim & the struggle ceased at almost the same
instant. I then left the spot & hurried to the house for
my gun. When I returned I got only a fleeting glimpse
at the Hawk as it rose and skimmed off like a shadow
through the trees. It must have carried off its prey
for I searched the ground closely, without finding anything
save a pile of feathers and two pools of blood almost
as broad as the palm of my hand. The feathers were
those of a Blue Jay. I could not see the latter very
distinctly while watching it struggle but it seemed to
me to be lying face downward all the while & not making
any resistance. But at first there was something in the
attitude and motions of the Hawk which seemed to betoken
that it was standing partly on guard. Later on it
appeared to me to fairly revel in the savage joy of
gorging itself on the living flesh and to be utterly
indifferent to the agony of its victim or perhaps even
to exult in it.
  Perhaps I have not described with sufficient definiteness
the cries which the Jay uttered. They were not in the
least jay-like but rather resembled the scolding plaint which
a Red-eyed Vireo gives when its nest is in danger. - They
had a different quality from that, however, suggesting extreme
physical anguish rather than mere anxiety or apprehension.
As I have said many if not most small birds utter cries
very similar to these when they are seized by Hawks.