The Arizona sentinel., 1889-07-13
FEATHERED BRIGANDS.
Something About the Destructive
 Pests of the Air.
PecuIia >rities of the Various Species of Fawks-Their Great Capacity for Harm-One Kind 8 Friend
 of the Farmer.

Among the many enemies which threaten to exterminate our game birds the powerful hawks of the air stand almost in the front rank, occupying a position, as it were, among the feath- cred tribes that can only be likened to brigands. Powerful of flight, keen of eye, swift as shooting arrows in their descent, bold and rapacious in their habits, and wild and rowing in their continual search for prey, they form a species of enemy that few creatures, whether they be feathered or furred, can escape when bounced upon in the open. Among these terrible warriors of the air the buzzard-hawks occupy first place by virtue of their size and strength. East of the Mississippi four species are found, the great red-tailed hawk being the commonest and largest. Its loud scream, resembling the sylla- ble kGL, uttered now and then as it scars around in great circles, is familiar to the ears of most hunters. Its majestic appearance in the air has often been the theme of poets songs; but the sportsman sees nothing but fair "'game" in the circling creature sailing two to four hundred feet above his head. The shotgun is not of much use for these birds, as they rarely ap- proach within ordinary range of such an implement, but the stout body and long wings make a fair target for rifle ball. When the bird has made half of its circle, and comes up against the wind, its flight is much slower, and the hunters chance has come. The birds live almost entirely off such dainty food as ruffed grouse, sharp tailed grouse, quail, rabbit, spruce partridge and migratory birds.
 Nearly as large as the red-tailed hawk, but less majestic in its flight Hnd habits, is Swainson's buzzard, which prefers to obtain its food by de- coying birds from the bush, and then bouncing upon them from a short dis tance. Birds smaller than quails form their principal food, while many in- sects are devoured by them. To have sport with this bird, one must frighten it of its nest, when the cunning creat- ure will limp and futter away as if severely wounded. Follow it suffi- cient distance from the nest, and it will suddenly rise up in the air and co Fl off fn nfhnr A e1o se then offered. It has wing expanse of some forty-nine inches or more, which offers a fair target for ball.
 The red-shouldered hawk is a trife smaller than either of the above, and far more timid in its habits. It seldom ventures outside of the forest, where it obtains its food by perching itself on some old stump of a tree, and sitting motionless until some prey approaches its resting place. The sight of an enemy coming through the forest is the signal for alarm, and it imme- diately sails up in the air to great heights. But just after it has finished a hearty meal, the gourmand becomes so gorged that rapid flying is almost impossible, and it can not even sail in the air for a long time at once. The hunter can at such times often get good shots at the creature. The broad winged hawk resembles it somewhat, only the latter is more daring and fierce in its attacks. Hunger will often make it so bold that it will seize wounded game from before the very gun of the hunter.
 Supplementing these large brigands of the air are many smaller species. which, though not so noble game, are far more common and easier of capt. ure. Every duck-hunter is familiar with that destructive creature known as the peregrine, or duck-hawk, the powers of which have been known for years. It does not hesitate to attack game as large and even larger than itself, and its well-aimed, arrow-like blow seldom gives its victim chance to retaliate. In New England it is called the great footed hawk, and it may be found all along our Atlantic coast every year, following close on the heels of the spring and autumn focks of ducks. The flight of the bird when in quest of prey is something astonishing, and it is a common occurrence for it to over take the heet-winged carrier-pigeon. German falconers train the birds for the express purpose of overtaking car rier-pigeons, which makes them of great service in times of war. The courage and dash of the bird make it