THE SPARROW HAWK. 207 



and protracted in its antics, begins very soon; and about the 

 latter part of May or early in June the eggs are laid. As 

 this bird breeds, however, from Mexico to Hudson's Bay, 

 and from Maine to California, its time of nidification varies 

 considerably according to locality. It is well understood 

 that it generally breeds in some cavity or deserted 

 Woodpecker's hole, pretty well up in a tree or stub — often 

 a solitary one in the open field; and that its eggs are laid 

 on the pulverized debris, with, perhaps, the merest litter of 

 some strawy material; but it may adopt the old nest 

 of a Hawk or Crow, may seek out a hole in the wall of some 

 unfinished stone building, accept the old nest of the 

 Gray Squirrel; or, as in " the canons of the eastern range of 

 the Humboldt Mountains," may find a convenience for its 

 nest "in hollows of limestone cliffs"; or may even find its 

 way into an apartment by the dove-cote. 



The eggs, generally five, some 1.32 X 1.13, are brownish- 

 white, specked all over, but often more about the large end, 

 with reddish-brown; but not infrequently the ground is 

 white or pinkish-white, with large blotches and intermedi- 

 ate specks of light red all over — the eggs having a peculiar 

 reddish appearance. Rarely, they are said to be whitish, with- 

 out any marking. 



Unless very seriously disturbed, these Hawks occupy the 

 same nesting place from year to year, the male sharing in 

 incubation. They defend even their eggs with dashing 

 flights, snapping of the bill, and indignant screams at the 

 intruder. The young, brought out from the shell in about 

 15 or 16 days, are fed on grasshoppers, crickets and cater- 

 pillars at first; but afterwards are nourished by small rep- 

 tiles, birds and quadrupeds. At about six weeks of age 

 they quit the nest, and when two months old they shift for 

 themselves. This Hawk accepts no food but that of its 



