542 



THE DESERT Si 'ARROW HAWK. 



grasshi)])])t'r. Tlir l'":i1r(ui trusts, so far as liis i)i-c\- is CDiicrnu'd. Id his clc- 

 \'atecl posiliim, ami docs iiol hesitate U> glance trccly froni side to side: while 

 the wayfarer is regarded as likely as nut with a frank curiosil)- not unniingled 

 with friendliness. 



Much time is spent, also, upon the wing, ni.it circling after the manner of 

 Accipiters and I'lUtcos, hut in iiassing rai)idl\' o\er the scene, or else flying 



slo\\I\- hut directl}- i '\er >uch iironiising areas 

 as grass\' meadows and fallow fields. Now 

 and again tlie hird checks itself suddenly and 

 pauses at a good height to study a suspicious 

 nK.nement in the grass below. It will thus 

 tlutter o\-er one spot for a minute at a time, 

 and then pass on disa])pointed, or else pounce 

 suddenly u|)on its prey and hear it oft to some 

 ele\-ate(l ]ierch for (|uiet consum]ition. When 

 the wind is hlowing strongK', the Hawk no 

 longer flutters at its critical stops hut only 

 balances u])on tlie wind, so niceh', indeed, that 

 its wnngs are almost motionless. 



.\lwa\s graceful, llie Sparrow Hawk is seen 

 to best advantage during the courting season, 

 when the male reaftirms his fondness for his 

 life-long mate by circling about her as she sits 

 upon the tree-to]i: or he measures the height 

 (d' his de\dlions li\- ;iscending to the clouds he ■ 

 fore lier, and dashing himself at her feet again 

 witli shrill cries of Killw kill\, klUy. To hear 

 the snarling clamor of llie birds, one would 

 lliink that they were n(.)t getting on nicel}- ; Intt 

 tin's is a mistake, for the high-pitched conver- 

 sation is really \ery ami.able in character, and 

 neither bird would think id' parting from its 

 consort, for however brief a space of time, 

 without a screameil farewell of unrpiestionable 

 tenderness. 

 Sparrow Hawks nest in holes in trees when these are coinenienl, using 

 either natural caxities or the deserted tenements of Flickers and Lewis Wood- 

 ])eckers. The higher these rented quarters the better the birds are satisfied, 

 but holes not over four feet from the ground are of record. Tn default of 

 such accomtnodations, old Magpies' nests, or even open-tojiped Crows' nests 

 have been utilized: but a more common expeilient is to resort to the romantic 

 crannies and hidex'-holes of the la\a clifi"s. In such situations this diminutive 



Plwlo b.Y ./. ir. .Iiilh.'iiy. 

 A GRE.\SI';\\(H)I) ST.\rio,\. 



