40 BIRDS OF PRE Y. 



the length of its wings permitting it to fly with great rapidity, while its broad 

 and powerful tail enables it to perform astonishing evolutions. When hunting 

 for its prey, it usually glides swifily along at the height of only a few feet from 

 the ground, occasionally passing up one side of a hedge and down another. It 

 sometimes pursues birds upon the wing, but usually pounces upon them while 

 resting either upon the ground or on the branch of a tree or bush. 



Of all the smaller European birds of prey, the sparrow-hawk is one of the 

 boldest and most intrepid : unlike many of the true falcons of its own size, 

 which live in a great measure upon insects, it preys almost exclusively upon 

 feathered game, and hence is peculiarly obnoxious in preserves, especially 

 during the breeding season. Ouick-eyed and rapid, it darts upon its quarry 

 like an arrow, and pursues it with unrelenting pertinacity, undaunted even by 

 the presence of man, to whom the terrified fugitive has often been known to 

 trust in the desperate emergency ; indeed, many instances are on record of 

 the lark or the pigeon rushing into houses through the open windows, followed 

 by their undaunted foe. 



The flight of the sparrow-hawk is not of that soaring character which dis- 

 tinguishes the true falcon. Instead of descending on its prey from aloft and 

 striking it down, or, if missing the stroke, mounting again and repeating the 

 assault, it darts at it without rising to any altitude, and follows up the chase 

 until able to effect its capture. 



The sparrow-hawk is universally but moderately distributed throughout 

 Europe, Asia, and Africa. It builds its nests in trees; the eggs are generally 

 four in number, of a dull bluish white marked with angular red blotches. 



SiLb-Faviily VII. 

 THE HARRIERS. CIRCIN.E. 



General Characteristics.— Bill moderate, short, with the culmen much curved to 

 the tip, which is hooked ; sides compressed, and the lateral margins festooned ; wings 

 lengthened and pointed ; tail long, broad, and even or rounded at the end ; tarsi 

 usually lengthened and slender; toes rather short. 



The hawks to which the name of Harrier is appHcd, of all the 

 diurnal predaceous birds, make the nearest approach to the owls. 

 The softness of their plumage, accompanied in certain species by 

 a radiated arrangement of the feathers of the face, give some of 

 them a very owl-like appearance. They are described by many 

 writers as deriving their name of " harriers " from their mode of 

 seeking their prey. When thus engaged, they fly slowly, at but 

 a little distance from the ground, beating over every part of the 

 surface like a dog hunting for game. Others, more familiar Avith 

 north-country language, derive the name from the Border word to 

 " harry," which means to make a raid upon cattle. 



The type of the race is — 



