156 THE SPARROW-HAWK 



New Holland. In America, v\c have already seen, it is abundant. 

 It builds its nest of sticks on some rock or ruin, generally near the 

 water, and lays two or three eggs. It has not been known to breed 

 in Ireland. 



Sub-Family ACCIPITRIN.E 

 THE SPARROW-HAWK 



ACCIPITER NISUS 



Upper plumage tlark bluish grey, with a white spot on the nape of the neck ; 

 lower reddish white, transversely barred with deep brown ; tail grey, 

 barred with brownish black ; beak blue, lightest at the base ; cere, irides, 

 and feet yellow ; claws black. Female — upper parts brown passing into 

 blackish grey ; lower, greyish white barred with dark grey. Length, 

 male twelve inches, female fifteen inches ; breadth, male twenty-four 

 inches, female twenty-eight inches. Eggs bluish white, blotched and 

 spotted with deep rusty brown. 



Since the introduction of firearms, the Goshawk and Sparrow- 

 Hawk have lost much of their reputation, every effort being now 

 made to exterminate them, for carrying on, on their own account, 

 the same practices which in bygone days they were enlisted to pur- 

 sue on behalf of others. For hawking, it must be remembered, was 

 not exclusively a pastime followed by the high and noble for amuse- 

 ment's sake, but was, in one of its branches, at least, a very con- 

 venient method of supplying the table with game ; and that, too, 

 at a period when there were not the same appliances, in the shape 

 of turnips, oil-cake, etc., for fattening cattle and producing beef 

 and mutton in unlimited quantities, that there are now. The 

 produce of the fish-ponds, woods, and fields was then a matter of 

 some moment, and much depended on the training of the Hawks 

 and diligence of the falconer whether the daily board should be 

 plentifully or scantily furnished. In recent times, even, some 

 idea of the intrinsic value of a good Hawk may be gathered from 

 the fact that, in Lombardy, it was thought nothing extraordinary 

 for a single Sparrow-Hawk to take for his master from seventy to 

 eighty Quails in a single day. In the Danubian Provinces and in 

 Hungary, the practice of hunting Quails with Sparrow-hawks is still 

 in vogue ; but with us, the agile bird is left to pursue his prey on his 

 (jwn account. And right well does he exercise his calling. Unlike 

 the Kestrel, which soars high in air and mostly preys on animals 

 which when once seen have no power of escape, the Sparrow-Hawk 

 is marked by its dashing, onward flight. Skimming rapidly across 

 the open fields, by no means refusing to swoop on any bird or 

 quadruped worthy of its notice, but not preferring this kind of hunt- 



