The Sparrow-hawk. 65 
quiet place under a tree or bush —unmistakable signs 
that a hawk has dined there. Small birds or rabbits 
form its chief food, but we are sorry to say that this 
lovely bird of prey is one of the few that the keeper or 
farmer is justified in slaying, for it cannot be denied 
that partridges, young pheasants, and leverets all 
fall victims to its prowess, and when the claims of 
a family press it sorely, it will even invade the 
farmyard, and snatching up a chicken, be away 
before the alarm is raised. 
The name “ Sparrow-hawk ” was undoubtedly 
given to this bird on account of its preying so 
largely on small birds, such as finches, larks and 
others, which were in olden days all covered by the 
general name of sparrow, but we are not aware that 
it has any special liking for the house-sparrow. We 
once heard, however, of two Sparrow-hawks being 
caught by some bird-catchers with clap-nets in which 
they were taking sparrows. 
It is a curious fact, that although so desperately 
afraid of this hawk, a troop of small birds, clamour- 
ing loudly all the while, will often follow the 
enemy when he has just carried off one of their 
comrades. It is difficult to discover a reason for this 
sudden change from cowardice to courage. A mo- 
ment before, these same little birds were crouching 
in the hedge half paralyzed with fear at the sight 
