The record-union., 1896-07-13

shrewdness Of trained warriors. and
they battle with the fierceness Of saw
ages. For two or three days the young
ones come in from the surrounding PIN
cries and camp, as it were, until their
number is sufficiently large to warrant
an attack ON the two vicious old olrds
that are in possession Of the nest
Men who have watched these battles
year after year for ten years say that
the old hawks have never yet been
worsted. Sometimes they are a little
short Of feathers when the scrimmage
is over, but they manage to hold the
nest, and If their assailants get on
without leaving a dozen dead ON the
field they are fortunate.
This year the battle was unusually
fierce, and one Of the old hawks was
SO badly damaged that 1t fell to the
ground, and Bart Hebron. who has
strong affection for the old birds. took
it home and carefully nursed it until 1t
was able to fly, when he set 1t loose
and it returned to the nest as clipper
as ever.
This year the young hawks were
three days getting ready for the as
sault. They, apparently, were deter
mined to win, and held off until they
numbered between forty and fifty.
During the day they circled around the
tree high enough above it to enable
them to get a clear view Of the nest
inside and out evidently taking note
of it's weak points.
One morning the attacking party
fouuned a circle in the air above the
nest, and, at the cry of one that ap-
peared to be the leader, every bird shot
towards the nest like an arrow. When
they came together there was a wild
tumble of feathers and sticks, and the
birds snarled like a lot of puppies.
They quickly rose into the air, and
when the dust cloud that had been bea-
ten out Of the nest cleared up, the Two
old hawks were seen viciously yankdng
the feathers out Of an unfortunate
enemy that had fallen into their
clutches. It was the evident intention
of the young hawks to tear the nest
apart, and they swooped down on 1t re-
peatedly, but it was strongly built OF In
terlaced sticks cemented together with
clay that had been baking in the sun for
years, and they made but little impress
sion upon it. At each attack the old
hawks managed to gather in one OF
their assaalants and made short work OF
him.
All day this form of battle was kept
up, and still the old birds were appar-
emily as fresh as at the start. At sun
down hostilities were suspended. The
next morning. bright and early, the
young hawks gathered in a mass over
the tree, and, at a sQueal from the leader
let fall a shower Of stones they had
carried in their talons.
One Of these feM on the back Of the
hawk in the nest and hurt it so that 1t
couldn't fight with as much vim as be-
fore. A hah-dozen times the young
hawks resorted to this trick, but only hit
the nest once.
In the middle Of the forenoon Of the
second day the two old hawks sailed
forth and mixed up with the assailants
in a hand to hand battle. Feathers flew
and screams filed the air. Occasionally
a young bird fell to the ground dead or
dying, and finally one Of the old hawks
came tumIbling down with one wing
helpless.
For an hour the battle ragged, and
then, suddenly, the young hawks turned
tail and disappeared in the pines, leav-
ing the old hawk master Of the situation
Eighteen young birds were killed dn the
engagement.