WELL-KNOWN FEATHERED OUTLAWS 21 



down clinging to the edges of the nest and the 

 adjacent branches. Tap the tree smartly to see 

 if her ladyship is at home, for sometimes this Hawk 

 is a very close sitter. No bird leaving, however, we 

 begin the ascent. It is a larch we have to climb, and 

 those who have tried will know that, as a rule, they 

 are not pleasing trees ; but at length we reach the 



SPARROW-HAWKS NEST. 

 May i8, 1903. Wales. 



nest, which, built close, to the trunk, on several 

 horizontal branches, contains three splendidly marked 

 eggs. There are indeed few prettier sights in the 

 bird world than to look down on a nest of this species 

 in which the eggs are still undisturbed. The eggs 

 on this occasion are very handsome, being heavily 

 blotched with the rich chocolate-red characteristic 



