COOPER’S HAWK. 
99 
the same time observed the Hawk rising, as if without effort, a few yards in 
the air, and again falling towards the ground with the rapidity of lightning. 
I proceeded to the spot, and found the Hawk grappled to the body of the 
Cock, both tumbling over and over, and paying no attention to me as I 
approached. Desirous of seeing the result, I remained still, until perceiving 
that the Hawk had given a fatal squeeze to the brave Cock, I ran to secure 
the former ; but the marauder had kept a hawk’s eye upon me, and, disen- 
gaging himself, rose in the air in full confidence. The next moment Fpulled 
a trigg’er, and he fell dead to the ground. It proved a young male, such as 
you see, kind reader, represented in the Plate, pursuing a lovely Blue-bird 
nearly exhausted. The Cock was also dead ; its -breast was torn, and its 
neck pierced in several places by the sharp claws of the Hawk. 
Some years afterwards, not far from the famed Falls of Niagara, in the 
month of June, one of these Hawks, which on being examined proved to be 
a female, attacked a brood of young chickens, yet under the care of their 
mother. It had just struck one of the chickens, and was on the eve of 
carrying it off in its claws, when the Hen, having perceived the murderous 
deed, flew against the Hawk with such force as to throw it fairly on its 
back, when the intrepid mother so effectually assailed the miscreant with 
feet and bill, as to enable me, on running up, to secure the latter. 
This species frequently kills and eats the G-rouse commonly called the 
Pheasant ( Tetrao umbellus). Partridges and young hares are also favourite 
dainties. It also follows the Wild Pigeons in their migrations, and always 
causes fear and confusion in their ranks. 
It breeds in the mountainous districts of the Middle and Northern States, 
to which it returns early in spring from the Southern States, where it 
spends the winter in considerable numbers, and is known by the name of 
the Great Pigeon Hawk. 
The nest is usually placed in the forks of the branch of an oak tree, 
towards its extremity. In its general .appearance it resembles that of the 
Common Crow, for which I have several times mistaken it. It is composed 
externally of numerous crooked sticks, and has a slight lining of grasses 
and a few feathers. The eggs are three or four, almost globular, large for 
the size of the J)ird, of a dullish white colour, strongly granulated, and con 
sequently rough to the touch. It was on discovering one of these nests 
that I wounded the second adult male which I have seen, but which never 
returned to its nest, on which I afterwards shot the female represented in 
the Plate, in the act of pouncing. I have several times found other nests 
of birds of this species, but the owners were not in full plumage, and their 
eyes had not obtained the rich orange colouring of the adult birds. 
Those which I have observed near the Falls of Niagara were generally 
