SPARROW HAWK. ' 353 



much more surprising. I have seen a Sparrow Hawk rush 

 headlong into the midst of a dense thicket, and suddenly emerge 

 on the other side carrying off a thrush in his talons. How a 

 bird at its utmost speed could thread its way between branches 

 and twigs seems almost incredible. When it steals upon the 

 farm-yard or orchard, it will sometimes make a dash at a bird 

 without succeeding, and pass along ; or, should the bird fly off, 

 it may pursue it in open flight. On two occasions of this kind, 

 I have seen a Thrush escape by entering a house, and some- 

 times the hawk has been known to follow the trembling fugi- 

 live thither. When a favourable opportunity occurs, it is often 

 quite heedless of the presence of man, and I have seen one come 

 suddenly upon some Pipits and Wagtails feeding in a field in 

 which three ploughs were going, and carry off" one of the Pipits 

 from within a few yards of one of them. While some Sparrows 

 were quietly enjoying the pickings of some horse-dung on one of 

 the streets of Edinburgh, on which many persons, including Mr 

 Audubon and myself, were passing, a Sparrow Hawk glancing 

 among them carried one off* in a moment. 



That rapacious birds, when intent upon their prey, or pressed 

 by the cravings of hunger, are sometimes unguarded or insen- 

 sible to danger, is strikingly illustrated by the following anec- 

 dote, for which I am indebted to Mr Weir : " Mr David 

 Smith informed me that in May 1837, when on board of the 

 St. George steam-boat, which sails between Newhaven and 

 Kirkaldy, a Lark alighted upon the rigging of the vessel, 

 when about a mile from Seafield, closely pursued by a Spar- 

 row Hawk, which in this situation darted at it, and pulled out 

 most of the feathers of its tail ; but the bird having escaped 

 flew upon the deck in the midst of the passengers, still fol- 

 lowed by its enemy. For two or three seconds both birds stood 

 within a very short distance of each other. The poor little 

 songster, upon recovering from its fright, took wing, but, alas, 

 was very soon overtaken by the hawk, which was observed 

 carrying it off" in triumph suspended from its claws." 



This clever little bird never soars in lazy gyrations like the 

 Eagles and Buzzards, nor does it follow a circling course while 

 looking for food. Its range of distinct vision cannot be very 



VOL. III. A A 



