May, 1913 A STUDY OF THE NESTING OF THE MARSH HAWK 101 then she rose and circled about my head, calling in the same manner as the male. At first she never swooped at my head, but la?er, particularly after the young had hatched, she did so, but never in Fig. 27. YOUNG MARSH HAWKS AGED TWO AND THREE DAYS; ONE Ol? THE TWO EGGS WAS ON THE POINT OF HATCHING; PHOTO TAKEN JuLy 4 quite the same swift, savage, anti unhesitating manner as her mate. During the latter part of June it seemed as though the male had learned to distinguish me from other people as the particular dis- turber of his home, for he attacked me frequently when I was a long distance from his nest, and often not headed in that direction. Once I was surprised to have him swoop suddenly and silently at my head while I was hunting for a curlew's nest, more than a mile from his own. The male curlew soon spied him, however, and drove him quickly away. On three different sides of his nest, all within a htmdred yards of it, xvere three Kingbird's nests, and the owners of these nests did their best to maize his life miserable every time his attacks on me led him too close to their homes. During the period of incubation the male evidently fed his mate. At least tie was out on hunting trips part of the time, and once, when he was away at my arrival, he returned while I was setting up my cam- era for a photograph, carrying a mouse in his claws. As soon as he saw me, he dropped the mouse and flew swiftly up to attack me. Later I picked up the mouse and examined it. Its , head had been removed and there was a large hole evidently ' made by the hawk's claw in its side. After the young hatched the male evidently spent much of his time hunting, for [ saw very little of him around tl?e nest. In fact I did not see him at all after July 4- It is quite possible that he was shot about this time, for it seemed strange that I should see nothing at all of him after that. He was a par- ticularly handsome bird. His plumage was perfect and his fligilt was always swift, graceful and beautiful. His larger mate, in comparison, always seemed clumsy. There were ragged holes in her wings and one tail feather imng loose, showing that she had evidently recently encountered a charge of shot. Pig. 28. YOUNG MARSH HAWKS AGED 12 AND 13 DAYS; PHOTO TAKEN JuLY 14
