Class II. SPARROW HAWK. 199 



female is fifteen inches long ; in breadth twenty- 

 fix. 



Thefe birds, as well as the hawk kind in general, 

 vary greatly in their colors-, in feme, the back, 

 head, coverts of the wings and tail, are of a deep 

 bluifli grey ; in others of a deep brown, edged with 

 a rufty red: the quil feathers are dusky, barred 

 with black on their exterior webs, and fpotted with 

 white on the lower part of their inner webs : the tail 

 is of a deep afh color marked with fine broad 

 black bars, the tip white : the bread and belly are 

 of a whitifh yellow, adorned with tranfverfe waved 

 bars ; in fome of a deep brown color, in others 

 orange : the cere, irides, and legs yellow. The co- 

 lors of the female differ from thofe of the male : the 

 head is of a deep brown ; the back, and coverts 

 of the wings, are duiky mixed with dove color ; 

 the coverts of the tail of a brighter dove color ; 

 the waved lines that crofs the breaft, are more 

 numerous than thofe on that of the male ; and the 

 breaft itfelf of a purer white. 



This is the moft pernicious hawk we have ; and Manners, 

 makes great havoke among pigeons, as well as 

 partridges. It builds in hollow trees, in old nefts 

 of crows, large ruins, and high rocks : lays four 

 white eorgs, encircled near the blunter end with red 

 fpecks. Mr. Willughhy places this among the 

 ihort-winged hawks ; or fuch whofe wings, when 

 doled, fail Ihort of the end of the tail. 



L'Efmcnllon. 



