Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-08-24

perhaps, he continued on his course; then, coming about with infinite grace. he bore down upon me again. Back and forth he circled, "quartering" the coun- try in way which proved his title to the name of 'tharrier" All this time his bright hazel eye was searching every c1ump of weeds, every hollow in the grass, every twig of the leafless bushes, for a sign of his living prey. Presently he caught sight of that which he sought. for he checked his onward flight, and for an instant hung futtering in the air. Then lightly he dropped into the grass, where a lightning stroke laid low a meadow mouse, whose soft, fat little body offered scarcely any resistance to these talons of rapier steel. The bird did not fly off with its prey in it's claws. as a sharp-shinned hawk would have done, nor did he stop to devour the mouse on the spot, as have often seen marsh hawk do; it picked up the little rodent with it's feet, and by series of long leaps through the grass, it reached a rather more secluded spot, where 1t be- gan to tear it's victim to pieces.
 About a week later was walking over the same open country, and again saw my old acquaintance the marsh hawk. This time, however, he was not alone, for in his company there was a somewhat larger bird, dark umber brown on. the back, and with reddish streaks on the head This was his mate. and, despite the difference in col- oration, she had the characteristic ofnh han < %t> >o counting season, and, as was anxious to see the manner in which the marsh hawk courted his bride, I hid myself in a ditch which drained the meadows, and waited. For an hour, perhaps, nothing unusal happened, and I had begun to fear that my patience was not to be rewarded that day, when suddenly the male bird foated into view, and be- gan a series of evolutions such as had heard of, but never witnessed before After circling about as usual, he arose in the air, ftstooped" almost to the ground, rose again, tumbled somewhat after the manner of tumbler pigeon, and in this way proceeded for some distance, zig-zaggrng up and down, as though bereft of his senses. And per-
 
 marsh hawks do funny things when they are in love. After doing his acrobatic "turn," he sailed away with the same grace and lightness which at other times characterizes his flight.
 The nest, which I found in May, was made chiefly of coarse grass and twigs, on the ground near the river. There were four eggs in 1t, dull white, about an inch and three-quarters in length, and well rounded. The next time visited the nest, the young birds were iaatched- beautiful, brfght-eyed little fellows cov- cred with white down, and with black bills and yellow legs. At first they knew no fear, but soon it came to them, as 1t does to most wild things, and one day, when their pin-feathers had started, they greeted me by throwing themselves on their backs and striking at me sav- agely with their little talons. Their slender legs flew out as though propelled by springs and their little black claws as sharp as fish-hooks, cut through my skin at every stroke. Sometimes I would take them some beetles or crickets. or a frog from the neighboring marsh, and after had retired to aldistance they would squabble for the food, squeaking petulantly, as they swallowed mouthful after mouthful
 The last time I visited the nest, the young hawks, instead of waiting to fight me when approached, leaped from their home into the surrounding grass, and hopped away rapidly in every direction, with their long wings raised high in the air to steady them as they bounced along. ! left them to regain their composure. When I next saw them they were able to shift for themselves Sometimes they might be seen alighting upon stakes near the water, but usually they were skim ming over the open country, making things warm for the mice and other small creatures which inhabit the marshes
 ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES.
 Ross Tyyeedsa Foe Is Dead.