The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-06-23
BANDIrrI OF TAE AIR.

The Ammonia Warfare OF tho FIorida
FrigAts BirdA on the Fish Hawks.
Twas puzzled for quite while when in
Southern Florida, says a writer in the
american Ndlurlisl, at some OF the mysteri
Gus antics Of the fish hawk. These crea
lures, bold enough away from the sea-
sometimes act in the most cowardly man,
ner, starting from the trees into the open
and returning again in fright. l soon
learned the reason for this Cowardice,
Stretched at length on the deck Of boat
in the early morning in the pass Of Roca
Grande, one Of the entrances to Charlotte'a
harbor, saw fine specimen OF hawk
cross overhead and proceed seward to
tiud dinner. The excursion was success
full, as the pass swarmed with fish coming
In with the tide. A fine one soon left It's
element and swung sloft into the air in
the talons OF the bird, which at once be-.
gan it's return. But new conner soon sp.
peared upon the scene. A black
creature which seemed all wings and
shaped like hattened letter NJ dropped
from above and confronted the hawk,
which at once dropped Its prey and uttered
a scream 80 bhmiul OF mortal terror that
1t should have excited the sympathy OF all
living things within the compass OF lis
sound. The hawk flew in fright to cover,
and l recognized the intruder as the
lrigate bird, On looking up whence 1t had
come | saw score Of frlgate birds mile
or more from the earth, floating round and
round on motionless wings. The dropped
fish was seized In the beak OF the bird long
before 1t had reached the water, and with
q sweep Of exquisite grace, on tense wings,
fronting q mild bret2e, the Corsair was
lifted half mile into the air, where
another astonishing performance was At
once initiated. A bite was taken from the
fish, which was dropped, Down came
the fish, and the bird, folding Its wings
tightly upon its body, dropped swiftly
after It. The part bitten oil being dis
posed Of, another swoop downward was
made, the fish seized and the upward
swing repeated, and this process continued
until the entire CARCASS was devoured.
On anotheroCCasio saw a hawk seize
q fab and start for the shore. A black
Corsair at once appeared and captured the
booty as on the former occasion, while the
frightened fisher fled screaming toward
the land, But now q change OF pro.
gramme took place, Another long winged
creature from the group above appeared
In front OF and facing the frightened
hawk, which turned seward at once,
mingling Its note OF terror with one Of de-.
SPAR. Every effort TO glide of toward
home was frustrated by the gliding terror
interposing its bulk in the intended direC-
ton, until the victim seemed to accept
the inevitable and made an attempt to
cross the guilt The tormenting enemy
then seemed content and swung aloit
among Its companions. The poor fisher.
man, rid OF the dire presence, wheeled on
It's course for home, and It's frenzied dap.
ping wings relieved OF excessive tension
made very good time, when on reaching
theyery brink OF safety the black wings
again appeared, and the whole distressing
business was re.enaCted with more despair
Ia the frightened cry. This went on for
more than half al hour. Every effort at
retreat was intercepted. During all the
time the hawk kept up an inCesSant Il tp.
ping OF Ito wings, and its physical endur.
anCe was giving away under the protract.
ed strain. This was apparent from the
changing tone OF It's scream, which varied
through all the gamut Of despair, from un.
reasoning terror to supplicating misery.
It was the Roman gladiator's "Cesar,
the dying salute thee" with the ambition
left out.
The frigate bird at length seemed impa.
tent. " more promptly answered the
movements OF the hawk, and urged com.
pliance with greater vigor, and finally In.
troduced q new feature into the proceed.
inqs. Swooping upward for 100 feet It
turned head foremostand plunged beneath
the hawk, turned completely over as II did
90, and, passing 10 the front, vaulted up.
ward and down again In the same path,
thus describing all elliptlCal or bit around
lie victim. ItBwung near the hawk round
the lower curve, causing an upward flight,
until at length, In an exhausted condition
Il was introduced into the company OF Its
tormentors, which had been descending
from high levels and were now about 400
wards above the water. lie strength was
now well exhausted. Its cry was scarcely
audible, and II barely had the power OF
directing It's movements. In whichever
way II went, except one, black terror
confronted II. 1t could rise unimpeded,
but found resistance to every other course.
It struggled upward for some 400 yards
further, until the distance was so great as
To make II difficult to keep the movements
In the field OF the grass, when II gave up
the task and rapidly Aoundered over and
over through the dir, lie muscular power
exhausted and It's mass surrendered 10 the
HrayitatiDg force. Down 1t came, the
whole half.sCore Of enemies CirCling about
Il, until II struck the water near the beach
Ia the shadows OF the oling. II was
drowned.
Again several days later l watched q
hawk catch fish, and saw a frlgate bird
seize tho prize. But when the hawk
started for the trees another irigate bird
appeared. Then the hawk went back to
its fishing, and the second fish was sur
rendered TO the second intruder. Thus
the hawk was forced to catch a fish for
every frigate bird In the flock. Then
they let the hawk go free. The mystery
"a.