VOL. X.] HABITS OF SPARROW-HAWK. 83 



the goose step, but, instead of being brought down, it is 

 kept rigid, and the toes are opened and shut slowly 

 several times ; then the foot is opened widely and shut 

 again as it is being brought down on the nest. 



As the hen begins to stop breaking up the food towards 

 the end of the nestling period, each young one makes a 



Fig. 5. SPARBOW-HAWK. 



Young one, 27 days old, covering food on the approacli of a second young one. 



(Photographed by J. H. Owen.) 



meal in turn (Fig. 3). No other young one is allowed to 

 touch the food and the beak is used freely and viciously by 

 the one in possession to keep the others off. When the cock 

 brings prey, all the young utter various cries to attract him 

 (Fig. 4) , and as he is alighting the\" make a wild rush at him. 

 The consequence is that he gets knocked very roughh 

 off the nest by the young, and particularly by the 3'oung 



