Y,Bv«rM\ O') 
CONCORD. 
1893 
July 6 
Marsh Hawk 
mobbed by 
Red-wings 
Kingbird 
overtakes 
a Robin 
in fair 
flight 
Black Duck 
A large party of us went to Ball’s Hill this morning 
and spent the day there, dining in the cabin, I was too 
busily occupied to see much of the birds, but I noted a fine 
adult male Marsh Hawk early in the afternoon. He attempted 
to beat the meadow opposite Ball’s Hill but the Red-wings 
turned out in force and quickly drove him fofi|m their domain 
and out over the woods to the South. I was surprised at the 
burst of speed which he essayed to escape from these 
tormentors. 
Once in 1890 and again in Connecticut last month I 
saw a Kingbird pursue and overtake a Chimney Swift. Less 
remarkable but yet well worth noting was the pursuit of a 
Robin by a Kingbird this evening. I was paddling in towards 
our landing when the Robin came dashing through the big 
white willow and made for the further side of the river. 
The Kingbird was at least twenty feet in the rear at first, 
but although the Robin did his best he was overtaken before 
he reached the middle of the stream and suffered a severe 
pummeling before he co\ild gain the trees on the further 
bank. The Kingbird, in fact, dealt him a dozen or more 
blows on the back of the head, the poor Robin squealing the 
while as if he were in the clutches of a Hawk. Whether or 
no the Robin had done anything to merit this chastisement, 
I had no means of ascertaining. It is evident that the 
Kingbird can, upon occasion, fly more swiftly than any other 
of our small laud birds. 
^Started a Duck which I took to be Anas obscure L CiAn <JL, % 
from under the maples opposite Holden’s Hill. 
/ 
