The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-09-05
FEATHERS VS.. FUR.
In the Race Between Jack rabbit ana
Hawk the Jack" Won.

Hawk the Jack" Won.
All the morning the four staunch
horses had been pulling the heavy
stage coach over a sandy desert IN
southern To -:as. Both the driver and
myself were drowsy. and nodded from
the effects of the scorching sun
suddenly the lead horses jumped out
Of the road, which brought US to our
senses. A large western redtail hawk
that was circling over our heads, had
cast its passing shadow on the sand
directly before the horses, causing
them to shy.
We commented on the rather sing.
ular coincident and watched the BIZ
bird as. in large circles, he grace.
fully fioated through the air, with
scarcely a movement of the wings.
Suddenly "jack-rabbit," startled
by the rattle of the stage, jumped
from its cover in the shade of yucca
plant, and shook its legs over the
sandy expe~-e in leaps fully fifteen
feet apart. IL had not made ten
jumps when the hawk spied 1t, and
half falling, half tumbling through
the air he descended to within fifty
feet of the earth and started In pr..
suit. The Jack" had gained a good
lead before 1t discovered that 1t was
being chased, but on seeing the hawk,
it bent every muscle in its sinewy
legs In an effort to outstrip its as.
saila1t.
Gradually the hawk drew near
until he was almost over the lack"
then, bowling his wings, he dropped
through the air like falling meteor.
With feet extended and talons out.
stretched, he was about to snatch I'D
his prey, when the Jack" stopped
short and squatted fiat on the sand.
The hawk overshot his mark a foot
or r.ore, but instead of turning back,
he arose in the .ame graceful curve
in which he descended, thus describ-
ing large U.
No sooner had he started upward
than the Jack" was again coursing
over the desert like a shot from a
g." 1t had gained fully fifty yards
before the hawk overlook it and
again attacked 1t. Once more the
Jack" eluded the charge in the same
manner.
BY this time the chase had become
so exciting that the driver halted his
horses and we both stood up on the
seat, clinging to each other and
watching with bated breath the out
come of the struggle
"The jack can't keep that pace
up much longer, it's pretty we'll tuck
cred out now. The hawk'll catch 1t
next time sure" exclaimed the driver
,as the combatants gradually drew
near. But before the hawk had a
chance again to swoop down, the
Jack" reached a bunch of chaparral,
where it took shelter.
The hawk circled over the bushes
and then dove headlong into them.
but the Jack" moved it's position as
the bird was about to strike it and
again escaped death.
The Jack" evidently thought 1t
safer to fight in the open than in the
bushes, for as the hawk arose it
otoi SSh Oh o6oiht thlo IlluC htdulu6
for a bunch of cattle that was feed
in: about two hundred yards away.
The hawk made his fourth unsuc-
cessful attack while the distance was
being covered by the hare, but before
he was ready for another swoop the
Jack" had outstripped his pursuer,
and dashing up to one of the steers,
darted between his front and hind
legs and stopped. There it remained.
The hawk seemed to be completely
oItwitted He circled about a few
times; then, as IL thoroughly dis
gusted, sailed off and was soon lost
to view.
The Jack" was still under the
steer when we drove on. 1t was
quite evident to us that the lack"
intended to use the steer for a shield
from the moment that it left the
chaparral, but whether it did so be-
cause it thought that the hawk would
be afraid of so larle an animal as
steer, or because the creature afford
ed better protection from onslaughts
from above, is question that the
reader will have to solve for him
self,--From Nature and Science in
st. Nichol'