12 



BRITISH BIRDS 



In addition to little birds, which form its usual and 

 favourite diet, the Sparrow-Hawk will eat mice, beetles and 

 grasshoppers; and occasionally in captivity, if food runs short, 

 they will attack, kill and devour one another, the male, in 

 such cases, usually succumbing to the assault of the female. 



This species has bred in confinement, but requires a 

 full supply of its natural food, for which butcher's meat 

 and even the offal from the poulterer's shop form no 

 adequate substitute. 



It is rather a shy bird, especially when feeding, and 

 usually retires to some secluded spot in order to devour 

 at leisure the produce of its chase. 



The Stannel Hawk. See Kestrel. 



The Tiercel. 



The Tiercel, Tircelet, or Tassel. 



This is the male Falcon, which is much smaller, weaker, 

 and less daring than the female; it was therefore not so 

 much in request as the latter for purposes of sport. 



