THE DESERT SPARROW HAWK. 



543 



Falcon appears to recall his m^ble ancestry; and I ha\'e fancied that he was 

 here a shade more valiant in defense of his young. Certainly the Red-tail 

 does not care for that particular stretch of cliff: and the Prairie Falcon seems 

 to regard the lesser spit-fire with quaint indulgence, or else to treat him with 

 that magnanimous uncimcern which a Newfoundland shows to a terrier. 



The eggs, which seldom have any softer resting place than chips and 

 stones, or the rotten wood which the Woodpeckers have left them, are among 



the hands(jmest of oological 

 treasures. The lime of the 

 shell, still plastic, has lieen 

 generously sprinkled with cin- 

 namon, and a warm glow im- 

 ]iarte(l to the whole. Incuba- 

 tion lasts three weeks: and the 

 }-oung. when hatclied. are 

 co\-ered with a thick, \vhite 

 down, which gi\es them a 

 rather tidy appearance in spile 

 of their enormous e\-es. 



The footl of the Desert 

 Sparrow Hawk consists large- 

 1\- of insects, of which grass- 

 ho]:)pers and beetles are the 

 most miteworthy. Spiders, 

 lizards, mice, shrews, and 

 small snakes are also eaten ; 

 and in winter, when other 

 food is unax'ailable, small 

 birds. The consun^ption of 

 birds luust Ije largely matter 

 of individual taste. Ordinari- 

 h' the smaller birds do not 

 fear the Sparrow Hawk, and 

 they will flit about a tree con- 

 taining this watchful Falcon 

 with perfect unconcern : \'et I 

 ha\'e seen one seize a Meadow- 

 lark in midsummer, and there 

 really seems to be no reason 

 in nature why he should not 

 help himself. The testimony 



11 oll.l II , 



County. 



Photo by 

 the Author. 



^^M^. 





:-.*4.-^ 



•KESOirr TO THE ROM.-^NTIC CR.V.NXIES OF THE 

 I..-\\'.-\ CLIFFS." 



