New-York tribune., 1911-04-02

and he gided motioness with the wind of his speed
sSng in the StifSet feathers. and his fiat cruel head
reaching downward if about TO strike The longer
limb of the wedge shortened little as certain OF the
Younger birds at the nervouSy drew IN closer TO
their fellows But the leader and the other older birds
paid no attention to the menace beyond turning up
ward as they flew steady and watchfu gaze.
few moments later, and apparently without effort,
the splendid maraudcr sailed on ahead. Two minutes
more and he had overtakcn the journeying geese.
Pouncing upon the hndcrmost, he gripped its out
stretched neck with his cuching talonS and fairly tore
out its throat But il too heavy bird for him to
bear up; So after moment or two OF tremendous flap
ping ne let drop II fell sprawlingly turning over sew
era times in the air before ii landed, with crash IN the
top of a dense old cedar. The great hawk, with half
folded wings dropped after il straight a stone and
the branches With heavy happingS he guided II TO
perch where he could devOur II IN comfort and the
they beat their way above the scene, stared
down on it with eyes of grave Indifference.
Soon passing beyond the zones of canefeld pine
barren and cypress swamp they crossed the harsh and
forhiddng ridges of the Tennessee Mountains, running
the gantct of the rifles of the wild montalnecrS. In
this pcrilOuS passage they lost three OF the flock; but
their leader swcp, them without allowing the array
to become dcinoralizcd. For few seconds only was
there confusion. strong bird near the head OF
the wedge having got his death wound struggled
blindv 10 keep on. \ moment more, however and he
went plunging downward; and the line closed up.
And now the skies they traverscd no longer OF 50
palptatng a blue, but more often Of Sullcn gray or
lowering with black ana WlnQrcTt COudS 'IuStS ol
rain burst them and those wanton storms which
strive to buffet back the vanguardS of the dittdcnt
Northern spring The rivers that now rolled Swirng
beneath them cold and swollen floods heavy with
silt The broad plains that stretched to the horizon and
beyond began be motled uncouthy with patches Of
gray and shrinking Soon the brown disappeared,
and all was snow white and ntcrminable, broken only
by the bucbac watercourSes rolling along their bur
den Of logs and ice. by dark green ragged belts Of
spruce forest Such scattered cities passed beneath
them they hardly needed, unless it CHANGED to be at
night and the city one of importance Then the wide
flung glare always drew them and there would be. on
the part OF the younger birds tendency to descend and
investigate But the leader always checked this mex
oraby, and swung the flock. sometimes, to higher
level.
X/OYAGING thus day by day toward ever more and
more inhospitable lands and skies they came at
last to those Sheltercs and incredibly bleak expanSeS
of the Barren Grounds that stretch along the northwest
shores Of Hudson Bay In binding smother OF snow
they arrived at a small lake few miles inland from the
sea- which had been the leaders objective ever since
leaving the sun drenched Florida lagoons. But he had
too far outlown the advance OF the sluggish spring and
the little lake not vet open. After clrclng above 1t
with loud disappointed cries. they flew of down the
course of the shallow. turbulent stream which came
boiling from under the ice and alghted amid the muddy