BIRDS OF GUERNSEY. 13 



It is mentioned in Professor Ansted's list, but 

 only marked as occurring in Guernsey and Sark. 

 There are two specimens, a male and female, in the 

 Museum. 



9. Sparrowhawk. Accipiter nisus, Linnaeus. 

 French, " L'Epervier," '' Tiercelet." — The Sparrow- 

 hawk, though a resident species and breeding in the 

 Islands, is by no means so common as the Kestrel. 

 In fact, it must certainly be considered rather a rare 

 bird, which perhaps is not to be wondered at, as it 

 is a more tree-breeding bird and less given to nest- 

 ing amongst the rocks than the Kestrel. It does so 

 sometimes, however, as I saw one fly out of some 

 ivy-covered rocks near Petit Bo Bay the last time I 

 was in the Islands on the 27th of May, 1878. I 

 am certain this bird had a nest there, though the 

 place was too inaccessible to be examined closely. 

 The trees, however, at the Vallon or Woodlands 

 would be much more likely nesting-places, especially 

 as it might have an opportunity of appropriating a 

 deserted nest of a Magpie or a Wood Pigeon, rather 

 a favourite nesting-place of the Sparrowhawk. 



Professor Ansted includes the Sparrowhawk in 

 his list, but confines it to Guernsey and Sark ; and 

 probably, as a resident and breeding bird, he is 

 right as far as my district is concerned, but I should 

 think it must occasionally occm- both in Alderney 

 and Herm, though I have never seen a specimen 



