16 THE UAL U D778 O NB UL eae 
I understood well the immediate actions of the ravens. They repeatedly 
flew upward over the spot where the red-tail had fallen and plunged down 
in turn, apparently striking the fallen bird viciously. Finally, the two flew 
off over the hill. 
To my astonishment, the hawk in a few moments came flying slowly 
out of the gully. Immediately the ravens reappeared and fell upon it, 
beating it to earth. Again it had fallen into a shallow trench out of view. 
Seemingly satisfied with their work, the ravens flew away to a field close 
by and secured food, which they ate while standing on top of fence posts. 
A half hour had elapsed since I had first observed the hawk. I be- 
lieved it was now dead. But NO! Again it slowly flew along the side of 
the hill! At once the ravens returned and repeated their murderous blows. 
This time the dying hawk fell onto a bare area, which was broken here 
and there by bushes. The ravens must have considered the hawk finished, 
for they returned to their feeding ground and began searching for food. 
After about ten minutes, they returned to the hillside and flew back 
and forth as if hunting for the hawk. They finally flushed it and gave 
chase. In less time than it takes to tell, they had struck the hawk down 
again. Its plumage so mingled with the reddish brown of the sand on the 
hillside that it was completely hidden from me. The ravens now seemed 
convinced that at last the Buteo was entirely harmless, for they again left 
for their feeding ground and did not return. 
I continued watching for some little time, but there was no movement 
on the hillside. My watch showed that it had taken just one hour for the 
two ravens to kill that strong, beautiful red-tailed hawk. 
304 N. Third Street, Banning, California 
a fi a 
Book Review 
Audubon Water Bird Guide. By Richard H. Pough, chairman and 
curator of the Department of Conservation and Use of Natural Resources 
of the American Museum of Natural History. 1951, 352 pages, 258 species, 
488 in color by Don Eckelberry and 138 in black and white by Earl L. Poole. 
Doubleday & Co. Inc., Garden City, New York; sponsored by the National 
Audubon Society; $38.50. 
This is a much needed and long awaited field book of water birds, game 
birds and birds of prey. Most of the birds are illustrated in the colors of 
pre- and post-nuptial plumages. The black and white illustrations are of 
birds in flight. The publication includes all birds in the area east of the 
semi-arid Great Plains. A four-way cross index plus a well-grouped table 
of contents, listing species according to families, makes it comparatively 
easy to locate a species illustrated or in the text. The text covers points 
of identification, over-all range, breeding habits, weight, size, longevity, 
and food habits. 
This edition is a companion to the Audubon Bird Guide of Eastern Land 
Birds and should be welcomed by all bird students. 
Charles W. Kossack, 715 S. Division St., Barrington 
