406 Observations on Instincts of Birds. 



9 o'clock next morning, the male had brought three birds, (an 

 old chimney-swallow, a young house -sparrow, and a young 

 black-throated stone-chat). The nearest spot where the last 

 species is found, is about half an English mile from the nest. 

 These three birds, which were in the nest, had been entirely 

 plucked, and partly devoured, by the old bird ; the entrails 

 had been taken from all, and two were without their heads ; 

 the clumsy young, though almost fledged, did not know how 

 to dispose of the remainder. Now as the male, though he 

 carried food to the nest, did not tear it to pieces, or help his 

 young to eat it ; as, moreover, the young sparrow-hawks re- 

 quire a longer period to learn to eat without assistance, than 

 other birds of prey, it is probable that they always die with 

 hunger when the female has been shot, although plentifully 

 supplied with food. 



On an earlier occasion, I found in a nest of the sparrow- 

 hawk, after the female had been shot, every one of the young 

 dead with hunger, though twenty small birds were accumu- 

 lated near them. However, the male sparrow-hawk fulfils 

 his duty so faithfully, that he will even carry food to a stuffed 

 specimen of his progeny, placed in his nest. As he does not 

 prolong his stay there, it is long before he becomes aware of 

 the deception. 



Of the European day birds of prey there remain only the 

 gledes, or glede-kites, on which, however, I can offer but few 

 remarks, as they do not breed in the neighbourhood of the 

 place where I reside. 



I know that the male of the reed-kite, (moor-buzzard, Fal- 

 co ceruginosus), feeds his female whilst she is hatching, and 

 assists her in rearing the young. This is also the case with 

 the corn and meadow kite, {F. cyaneus). It is remarkable 

 how assiduously the females of the reed-kite are courted. I 

 know an instance in which three males were shot near the 

 same female in two days. The male of the corn-kite appears 

 to take great delight in hovering over his sitting mate. If, 

 in the month of June, we see a male of that species soaring 

 much over one particular spot, we may be almost certain of 

 finding the nest there, in corn, grass, or low bushes. While 

 the young are being reared, the male of the kites hunts very 

 eagerly and boldly, often till after sunset. 



