, 1888-08-24
HAWKS AND HYDRopHoeIA.
rho Theory Advanced by = Practical
Observe-Is He Correct7

observer-Is He Correct7
captured and raised a nest of young
hawks. One female survived and be-
came tame, following me devotedly
around my garden. She learned to eat
''cut worms" and was of very great ser
vice in consequence. She also kept birds
from my Strawberries, and by catching
mice and young cats protected my chick
ems. She would not permit a dog to
come on my grounds. The way in
which she treated them and the effect
her treatment produced may throw some
light on the blindness and madness of
foxes and wolves, and possibly be n
clew TO a cause of madness in dogs.
Her method with dogs was peculiar
and must have been hereditary, as she
had had no training. When she observ-
ed a dog near her she would thrust out
her head, draw up one foot out of sight
and drop her wings. If the dog ad-
vanced to attack her she would spring
into the air by a quick movement Of her
wings, and catch the dog by the end Of
the nose, using the foot that had been
hidden under her breast feathers. On
this she supported her weight, steadying
her body with her wings and threatening
either eye that should open. l witnessed
her encounters with two small lapdogs,
a large fighting black and tan, bull ter
rier and a very large buff English mas
tiff. Each dog gave up on his third ex-
perience with her talons. The small
dogs disappeared from town. No n
knew where they went to. The terrier
ran to his masters blacksmith shop,
where he retired behind the forge.
Soon his master, Mr.. James p. Hill,
Of Waterville, Me-, came and asked me
to go and sec the dog. He had wit
messed the fight with me only a few min
utes before. On reaching the shop /
found his dog covering behind the forge
in n pool of water, and as wet as though
a bucket of water had been thrown upon
him. said to his master, ~ would not
throw water on him, he Is frightened
enough now" He replied: 81 have not
thrown any or him; that Is sweat, the
first | ever saw from a dog, and that is
what l wanted you to come for" /
saw the dog a few days after, with a
thick viscid saliva hanging to his mouth,
leaning against some infant school chill
dren, looking into their faces, receiving
their caresses and acting very restlessly.
Knowing his savage nature-the mans
own children could not caress him up TO
the fight with the hawk-I went and
called him into my garden and quietly
ended his troubles with my pistol.
The mastif was a noble dog Of rare
qualities, very intelligent, docile and
obedient, would run errands better than
a boy, and never played truant. He
was owned by n gentleman in Winslow,
Me-, who said 800 would be no tempta-
ton for him to part with the dog.
was called upon by this gentleman
for professional services. His dog came
with him. Knowing the hawks love
for a fight, / asked the man to bring the
dog in. lie wanted to know why. l
told him. 81 want to see the bird that
can whip my dog" said he, and, seeing,
nothing would do but ''see the feathers
fly" He did not see a feather disturbed,
but his noble dog, after the third bout,
ran for home, and the man could not
stop him. The next week he came
again. He had shot the dog Ton the
verge of madness" "a changed dog.n
''all afraid of him." 'no longer mind"
when l got home" said he, 81 found
the dog had come straight home and
crawled in behind a pile of wood, which
| had to take down to get him out. The
dog, and the ground about him, were as
wet as though a bucket of water had
been thrown there; his eyes were blood
shot, and he growled and showed his
teeth, n thing he was never known to do
before. 1 had to kill him, for we were
all afraid Of him." 1 had told him what
the result would be, still I could not help
feeling sorry for him, and saying so.
We'll, it was no fault of yours. II 1
had not seen the fight I could not nave
thought it possible. 1 would not have
taken 500 that day for the dog. 1t was
a pretty fight and worth the cost."-G.
Z. Waters, NJ. D., in The Swiss Cross.