Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-02-08

perish of cold and hunger because Of a boys
climbing up to the nest and pceping in
Compare such traits with those OF the loor
who will risk bis life ia the defense of bis
nest or family.
Birds of Frey,
Uuder this ominous title would fall al
those which subsist upon their feathercc
fellows, or the more helpless quadrupeds
There are the eagles, hawks falcons buz.
yards and owls. These are the yaptoyeS, tlC
| lrceb0oters. All but the last are diurnal in
their habits, while the owls seek to hide
their deeds Of blood under the cover OF
night Then the coast 10 clear aud they can
follow their nlurdtrOus pursuits withou,
moicstation. The niyhl-roamiug animals
attend thcm, minIling their sympathetic
voices with those cries and lamentations
! which render memorable ones first night in
| the woods.
Two eagles. seventeen species of hawks,
AND thirteen owls have been found lnhabit.
Ing New England at large or detected within
her bJIdcrS. This number reeds t. be-
somewhat reduced in poaking Of Vermont.
/ Both The golden AMI bald eagles the tHo
| spccls found III The United States are 0l
/ tIcqUcnt occurrence, being particularly
sjundant about the rocky, wooded shores OF
| lNlc Chlmpain.
| recall very distinctly The luxurious flight
Of u pair of bald eagles which came one
evening from over The lake and flew directly
| overhead as We were walking in the road.
They orparcd like bclutcd sailors tUeging
al the oar, after The wind lad flllcl. They
have evidently come q long way and Their
! strong wings were a little tired. livery
t... do It..tv
auj seut them UP and along. They came 81
near the earth they had to steer through the
! trees and every feature Of these muscular
| aC'Onauts could be distinctly seen.
The owls are furnished wtb powerful
! hooked bcaks and claws, obscure, d1wny
| Ilumagc, and Sufficient strength of wing to
enable hem to move about with wonderful
facility. They hardly disturb the air Nith
their soft pini0ns. Add to III" s'iness OF
| tight the cbscuuly of their plumacc aud
generally nocturnal habits they might seem
to have their victims at overdue advantage.
! The great horned owl often htlains length
If two feet and an extent Of wing Of tHlcg
,ba, amount, and the snowy-GNl IS at similar
size. The latter spends the summer in high
| atitGdcs, but is frequently seen IN New
England as winter visitor. Perhaps the
most familiar aud a6uncant CT this race is
| the little scrclch-owl, which sometimes comes
| into barns for mice.
| Tie American go>hlWk, a noIthcrly sr'-
cj =, and one OF the loyal-bloo!td birds, i,
II occasional yi.itJr TO this State. Onc was
| -hti in The town Of Sharon with 4 partIi :.
| in l.. claws. Thu rare ger falcon has been
reported from Dummcrs.on aud the duck
hawk or pcrcgrine falcon was found Gcs.iag
in The vicinity of Brandon
Tue fish hawk is one of the largest an
most remarkable OF lis class ant the onlv
one that leaves bis natural element for food.
! Il Is a memorable sight to behold ONE OF
| these bir..s lake fish from the water. You
see an aQui iur, Nlte-h breasted bird gyrll-
| ing delib ra!ely over the liver. Follow is
movements closely and you sec he is iutqnt
upon the surface below. a fish carc!cssiy
turns on its side and thus cliJtropes to ii,
enemy in the air. The hawk d,sCends like
a holt to the water. Splash. aud the bird
| disappears for an Instant. Then he comes
up and shaking dry his feathers, mounts iutc
The sir again, clutcbing struggling fish ia
his talous. The kiughshtr, who dcscends t.
the green depths on the same Grand secures
his prey in lis beuk.
The hawks fluid q variety Of pluud-I in
wood and field, and doubtless serve to check
the iuroads of various kinds of vcrmip,
feeding upoa the small quadrup d., such a.
moles and mice, and various snakes, frog
nna beetles. \ correspondent speaks of
finding pair Of snakes 1S iachcs long and ;
meadUW-nOUsC il the stomach OF Il siual,
hcnhawk, all being Intended for one re
past.
When latale prJmp5 the haAk t, cltv!
the chicken, She also tells the latter 10 ayui.
The hawk aud gives il y keen eye aGd iuslinc
which is often 4 sure foil. The odds are no
wholly against lha chicken; nor can n LAZY