172 GRAY LADY AND THE BIRDS 
Grayish brown above; feathers edged with rusty brown ; 
wings barred black and white; ‘ shoulder” rusty red; tail 
black, and barred and tipped with slate; black streaks on 
throat; underparts buff. 
One of the large Hawks; to be distinguished by a rust- 
red shoulder patch; is the most common of the long, 
broad-winged Buzzard Hawks that are seen flying in 
circles in the days of autumn and early spring. It kills 
field-mice and other gnawers. 
The American Sparrow-Hawk 
Length: 10 inches. 
Male: Reddish back barred with black; reddish tail, with black 
band and white tip; head with reddish spot on crown, 
slaty blue, as are also wings, the latter having white bars; 
a black mark back and front of ear; underparts varying 
from cream to buff. 
A very handsome bird, though somewhat of a cannibal; 
the Wise Men wish him protected for the following 
reasons : — 
“When in doubt regarding the identity of a small 
Hawk, give the benefit of the doubt to the Hawk, and 
refrain from killing it, for you may thus spare a valuable 
bird, belonging to a species that during every twelve 
months renders service to the agricultural industry of 
the country that is far beyond computation, but if 
measured in dollars and cents would reach to very high 
figures. 
“This appeal for protection of the Sparrow Hawks, 
and the statements as to their value, would be worthless 
if they could not be supported by facts. 
