The Red Cloud chief., 1913-12-04

hawks during the nesting season, and discovered
the fact. new to science, that they prey upon
birds as well as on mammals. Over the whole
course of his observations until the young birds
had flown. prairie dogs were found largely to ex-
ceed all other diet: but until the nestngs were
about two weeks old, their food consisted partly
OF meadowlarks (Sturnea neglecta). While
very little food found In the nest, taking into
consideration the frequent visits paid to It, there
were seen altogether nine prairie dogs, one cot.
tontail rabbit two bull snakes Zone 81 inches
long) and some remains OF sharptailed grouse
and meadowlarks. On two separate occasions.
while Mr.. FELTON, kept watch near the eyrie the
wary female frequently passed and repassed over.
head with a meadowark In her taons. as subse.
Quently identified. The bill Of fare at all four
eyries was similar. and meadowlarks, as demon.
strated by their down and feathers, were pro-
vided for the nestlings The following interest
Ing collection OF remnants was seen at one nest:
Four prairie dog skulls. the skeletons OF two
bull snakes lone OF them being very arge). the
leg OF u sharptailed grouse. the wing and scapu
lars OF a magpie and the primaries of meadow
lark. Grouse and magpe remains were not found
until July II and 81. and proved by the
feathers to belong to young birds. To the best OF
my knowledge, this species never attempts to
take poultry Of any kind and my own Observa
tiOns are strongly confirmed by Mr. W. p. Sull
van for is years manager OF Mr.. Miners beau
tifu Square Butte ranch, where these hawks have
always been protected on account Of the numer
Az above narrated, several pair breed annually
upon the ranch. and are constantly flying around
the buildings. yet no chickens have ever been
mOlested MIR. Sullivan. who is close observer
Of nature. considers that. after the young can
fly In the fall. these hawks subsist chiefly upon
gophers. and he has described to me their meth.
DDS of capturing them as follows: II have
watched the hawks often through glasses in our
alfalfa held after the hrst crop has been taken or
The pocket gophers get pretty busy tunneling.
and pushing all the loose damp earth up in piles
on the surface. The hawks fly slowly over the
field until they discover fresh pile of damp
earth. Here they will alght softly and wait for
the gopher to push close to the surface They
will then spread their wings and rising a few
feet In the air. come down stiff.legged into the
loose earth, when the gopher is transfixed and
brought out. ! have them eat the gopher
where caught, and at other times carry It away"
In the summer Of 1908 about an acre Of ground
at the Square Butte ranch was covered with piles
OF building material. such as lumber posts and
heavy shed timbers which had been collected
there the previous year. Numbers OF cotton.tail
rabbits lived under these piles. and provided an
occasional meal, both for the hawks and 'or the
ranch cat, which was a female tabby. On
certain day Mr.. Miner (owner Of the ranch) hap
pened to be engaged In conversation with Mr.
Sullivan near pile OF posts. upon which the
cat was basking In the sun with one eye open
for q chance rabbit. a. usual. ferruginous