Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-09-15
HAWKS, CROWS AND SNAKE
Queer Scene Witnesses ey . Penn.
syIvania Farmer.

0yuv0Uuu VOVWVVs
The startled cries of pair OF bob
olinks attracted the attention OF
Farmer Caleb J. Wardell, of Clifford
Township, Penn, to a thornbush In
his meadow one morning recently.
The beds were fitting and squalling
around the bush as though they were
alarmed by cat skulking in the tall
timothy near by, and Mr.. Wardell
who takes particular pains to protect
all the song birds on his farm, sprang
over the fence, ran toward the spot,
and yelled, scat! scat!" at the top
of his voice.
As he neared the place he saw that
the bobolnks were diving and squall-
ing Mt q blacksnake, whose head was
swaying slowly from side to side q
few inches above the top of the bush.
Presently the blacksnake stretched
up its neck a little higher and held
its body persectly motionless for
minute or two. The birds continued
to squall and dart at 1t furiously, as
II to drive 1t away. The snake seemed
to pay no attention to the fierce cries
and violent fittings of the bobolinks,
and the next motion 1t made was to
curve its neck and peer down into the
foliage of the bush. That Infatuated
the birds, and they flew and chirped
at the reptile until it again raised its
head.
This went on for some time, the
bobolinks keeping up u constant
squalling aud darting ut their enemy.
Then the black snake suddenly Drop
ped its head, held it on level with
the top of the bush for moment,
and then shot out viciously ut the
birds several times with its snout.
IL failed to strike. and Mr.. Wardcll,
having seen enough of the snake &
antics, started to creep through the
grass TO kill il. lie had hardly got
i'm motion when he saw u swift shad.
ow on the grass, and the next instant
a large gray hawk shot from the sky
ut the speed of u thunderbolt, seized
the black snake In its claws, and went
sailing leisurely over the meadow
pointing straight for distant Elk Hill
The bobolinks chased the friendl,
hawk u short distance, soon wingin.
their way back to the bush with song'
of 10y. Mr.. Wardell found that tn,
birds had n nest Of four young one
in the bush and that the little things
had not been harmed by the snake
The hawk didn't find smooth sail
ing on its way to the mountain top
for no sooner had Mr.. Wardcll turned
from the thorn bush than he 81,
,, three crows head the big bird of ant
,, drive him back over the meadow. /
,, clung to the squirming snake, risin
to u great height, and then divin
y swiftly to shake off is mcrciless en-
. emies. But the crows kept after
y. with vengeance, sailing aloft an
2 shooting down whenever the haw
1 did the same, and heading II oil ever
= time 1t undertook to evade the
n treac hcrous bills. The noisy blac
{ scamps worried the hawk until, whe
@ 1t was several hundred feet above I'll
g meadow, 1t dropped the snake an
: made for the nearest timber. III
v crows pursued it, but Mr.. Wardcl
o instead OF paying further attention
u them, watched for the snake to strih
1. the ground. He didn't have chanC
It to sec the reptile drop in the gras
d however, for another hawk, which
10 hadn't seen before, dived from Il
10 sky, caught 1t in the mir. and sailed
d with 1t just US the crows had aba
n doned their chase OF the first haw
70 and turned back. They spied u
Il second hawk and made for 1t vii
l. loud cries, but the fleet bird had z
d a good start, and 1t found safety
IF the dense woodland.-lNew iol
N Sun.