Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1886-10-22
THE FRiGATE' BIRD.
Its Amazing Warfare on the Fish-Ha whs
Familiar to FLORIDA.

i
l was puzzled for quite while when
in Southern Florida at some mysterious
antics of the fish hawks. These
creatures, bold enough away from the
sea, sometimes act in the most coward
ly manner, starting from the trees into
the open and returning again in fright.
I soon learned the reason for this cow
ardice. Stretched at length Oh the
deck of boat in the early morning in
the Pass of Boca Grande, one of the
entrances to Charlotte's Harbor, saw
q fine specimen of hawk cross overhead
and proceed seaward to find q dinner.
Tho excursion was successful as the
pass swarmed with fish coming in with
the tide. A fine one soon left it's ele-
ment and swung aloft into the air in
the talons of the bird, which at once
began it's return. But newcomer ap-
peared upon the scene. A black
creature which seemed all wings and
shaped like q fattened letter M.
dropped from above and confronted
the hawk, which at once dropped its
prey and uttered a scream so brimful of
mortal terror that it should have ex-
cited the sympathy of all living things
within the compass of its sound. The
hawk flew in fright to cover and l rec
ognized the intruder as the frigate
bird On looking upward whence it
had come l saw a score of frigate 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 it had
reached the water, and with a sweep OF
exquisite grace, on tense wings, 'front.'
ing mild breeze, 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 off being disposed of, an
other swoop downwards was made, the
fish seized, and the upward swing re-
peated, and this process continued
until the entire carcass was devoured.
On another occasion l saw hawk
seize fish 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 a change of programme took
place. Another long winged creature
from the group above appeared in front
Of and facing the frightened hawk,
which turned seward at once, ming
ling its notes Of terror with one of des-
pair. Every effort to side off towards
home was frustrated by the gliding
terror interposing its bulk in the in
tended direction, until the victim
, seemed to accept the inevitable and
made an attempt 10 cross the gulf.
The tormenting enemy then seemed
S content, and swung aloft among Its
4 companions. The poor fisherman. rid
Of the dire presence, wheeled on its
|. course for home, and its frenzied
J. fappings relieved of excessive tension,
r. made very good time, when on reach
, ing the very brink of safety the black
- wings again appeared, and the whole
distressing business was re-enacted
with increasing despair in the fright
e ened cry. This went on for more than
G half an hour. Every effort at retreat
is was intercepted. During all the time
1t the hawk kept up an incessant Tapping
e of its wings, and its physical endur-
v ance was giving away under the pro-
is tracted strain. This was apparent from
IS the changing tone of its screams,
. which varied through all the gamut Of
:, despair, from unreasoning terror to
! supplicating misery. 1t was the Ro-
- man gladiator's Caesar, the dying sa-
J lutte thee" with the ambition left out.
/ The frigate bird at length seemed
t, impatient. Itmore promptly answered
3, the movements of the hawk, and urged
compliance with greater vigor, and
re finally introduced new feature into
g the proceedings. Swooping upwards
It for one hundred feet it turned heat
d foremost and plunged beneath tn,
r. hawk, turning completely over as 1t die
~ so. and. passing to the front, vaultet
:, upwards, and down again in the SANE
= path, thus describing an elliptical orb
10 around its victim. 1t swung near thu
e, hawk round the lower curve, causin;
re upward flight, until at length, in al
L exhausted condition. 1t was introduce,
into the company Of its tormentors
Of which had been descending from higl
~ levels and were now about four hun
N dred yards above the water. 1t
tn strength was now well nigh exhausted
or Its cry was scarcely audible, and i
~ barely had the power of directing it
-, movements. In whichever way It went
'o excepting one. a black terror con
fronted it 1t could rise unimpeded
De but found resistance to every othe
n. course. 1t struggled upwards for som
er four hundred yards further, until tn
ne distance was SO great as to make
a, difficult to keep the movements in tn
IN field of the glass. when it gave up tn
IN task, and rapidly foundered over an
III over through the air. its muscula
or power exhausted and it's mass surren
nj dered to the gravitating force. Dow
~ it came, the whole half-score of enemie
~ ~ circling about it, until it struck tn
40 water near the beach in the shadows o
W the offing. 1t was drowned.
, Again several days later l watched
e. hawk catch a fish and saw frigat
I'd bird seize the prize. But when tn,