FALCONID.Ii. 



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THE SPARROW-HAWK. 

 AcciPiTER Nisus (Linnreus). 



The Sparrow- Hawk is generally distributed in Great Dritain from 

 Sussex to Sutherland, and also in Ireland, wherever tliere are wood- 

 lands suited to its tastes. It is emphatically an arboreal species, 

 and is, naturally, of rare occurrence in the Orkneys, Shetlands, and 

 Outer Hebrides, where the long-winged Kestrel often bears the 

 name — as elsewhere it suffers for the delinquencies — of this dashing 

 short-winged species. 



In autumn the Sparrow-Hawk is frequently observed at our light- 

 ships and stations on the east coast ; and immense numbers some- 

 times cross Heligoland on their way from higher latitudes — the 

 young passing first, and the adults following. The breeding-range 

 extends as far north as the limits of forest-growth, and southward 

 it reaches to the Mediterranean ; comparatively few, however, remain 

 to nest in Spain or Italy, where this species is chietly noticed on 

 passage, when following the flocks of small birds on which it preys. 

 It is resident in the Canaries, North Africa, and Egypt as far as 

 Assouan, and occurs as a migrant in Kordofan. In Asia it is found 

 across Siberia to the Pacific and Japan, and even breeds, sparingly, 

 as far south as Cashmere and the Himalayas, while in winter its 

 range extends to the latitude of Canton. There are at least five 

 members of this genus, all of which possess a well-defined geographi- 



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