VOL. X.] HABITS OF SPARROW-HAWK. 81 



(Fig, 1 ) . The wings and tail receive an exceptional amount 

 of attention. Each of the flight-feathers is taken in the 

 bill and drawn through it at least once, but often two or 

 three times. The same is done with the long tail-feathers, 

 especially the basal portions. Very great attention too 

 is paid to the wing-coverts, especially in the way of 

 smoothing and arranging them. The head receives 

 least of all, because it has to be done with the foot only 

 and the other foot is not strong enough to support the 

 bird. The results of early efforts are therefore rather 

 amusing to a concealed observer. The feet are cleaned 

 very carefully after a meal ; this is especially the case 

 when a bird has broken up a carcass itself, then the 

 claws that have held the meat are dra^vii roughly through 

 the bill exactly in the same way as it is done by the old 

 bird. The bill is wiped rapidly up and doMii a twig 

 several times, often rubbed in the nest, and possibly 

 scratched with the foot as well. The action of wiping is 

 very like the way a hone is passed up and down a scythe. 

 Li watcliing the yomig birds at this stage one's atten- 

 tion is above all drawn to the wing " treatment." The 

 wing is stretched carefully at frequent intervals. It is 

 opened slowly to its widest extent, then there is a 

 short pause, after which it is shut up like a knife in one 

 rapid movement. One can almost hear a click as it 

 closes. This is often done when the bird is lying down as 

 well as when it is standing. At the same time one of the 

 feet relaxes its hold and shows movement ; the same 

 thing will be noticed if a man stands and stretches an 

 arm fully when the pressure on the corresponding foot is 

 eased considerably. Sometimes the young birds work 

 their wings and move slightly, usually backwards, as 

 they do so. I have many times marvelled that one has 

 not fallen, or pushed another, off the nest while this is 

 being done. Scores of times I have seen this almost 

 happen, but not quite. The weirdest performance of all, 

 however, is the exercise we named the " flap dance." 

 The bird extends its Avings fully and slightly above the 



