460 Habits of the Windhover Hawk, 



familiar with the habits of the animal, to whom it was men- 

 tioned, not only had never remarked it, but refused to believe 

 it. Sceptics may, however, have their doubts removed by 

 visiting the Zoological Gardens. 



It is much to be regretted that artists are not naturalists ; 

 for errors, and this one in particular, would not then be 

 propagated by incorrect delineations in popular works. 



High Wycombe, Bucks, July 23. 1836. 



[ In Professor Rennie's Field Naturalisfs Magazine, vol. i. 

 p. 14 — -18. is a short treatise, entitled, u On the Walk in 

 Quadrupeds;" and is stated to be "by J. A. Borelli, Professor 

 of Mathematics, Naples," and to be "translated from the 

 Latin work, * De Motu Animalium,' by John Sharp, Esq." 

 The short treatise contains figures.] 



Art. IV. Notes on the Habits of the Windhover Hawk. 

 By Charles Waterton, Esq. 



Nothing can be more unfortunate for a man, than to bear 

 a strong resemblance to another who is notorious for his evil 

 deeds. The public eye marks him as he passes on, and 

 tacitly condems him for misdemeanours of which he is, pro- 

 bably, as innocent as the lamb which gambols on the lawn. 

 This may be applied with great truth to the windhover hawk. 

 He is perpetually confounded with the sparrowhawk, and 

 too often doomed to suffer for the predatory attacks of that 

 bird on the property of man. But, when your gun has 

 brought the poor windhover to the ground, look, I pray you, 

 into the contents of his stomach; you will find nothing there 

 to show that his life ought to have been forfeited. On the 

 contrary, the remnants of the beetle and the field mouse which 

 will attract your notice, prove indisputably, that his visits to 

 your farm have been of real service to it. 



This hawk has received the name of windhover on account 

 of his custom of hovering in the air. By the way, he is not the 

 only bird which performs this curious evolution. The sparrow- 

 hawk, the barn-owl, the gull, and the kingfisher are often 

 seen in a similar position. 



A little attention on the part of the beholder would soon 

 enable him to distinguish the windhover from the sparrow- 

 hawk. The windhover, when in quest of food, glides softly 

 through the air, at a moderate height, now poised in the 

 breeze on fluttering pinion, now resting in the void, apparently 

 without motion ; till, at last, down he comes, like a falling 



