THE DESERT SPARROW HAWK. 543 
Falcon appears to recall his noble ancestry; and I have fancied that he was 
here a shade more valiant in defense of his young. Certainly the Red-tail 
does not care for that particular stretch of cliff; and the Prairie Falcon seems 
to regard the lesser spit-fire with quaint indulgence, or else to treat him with 
that magnanimous unconcern which a Newfoundland shows to a terrier. 
The eggs, which seldom have any softer resting place than chips and 
stones, or the rotten wood which the Woodpeckers have left them, are among 
the handsomest of odlogical 
treasures. The lime of the 
shell, still plastic, has been 
generously sprinkled with cin- 
namon, and a warm glow im- 
parted to the whole. Incuba- 
tion lasts three weeks; and the 
young, when hatched, ° are 
covered with a thick, white 
down, which gives them a 
rather tidy appearance in spite 
of their enormous eyes. 
The food of the Desert 
Sparrow Hawk consists large- 
ly of insects, of which grass- 
hoppers and beetles are the 
most noteworthy. Spiders, 
lizards, mice, shrews, and 
Taken in Stall snakes are also eaten; 
Walla Walla = ; 
County. and in winter, when other 
ne ete, b3 food is unavailable, small 
birds. The consumption of 
birds must be largely matter 
of individual taste. Ordinari- 
ly the smaller birds do not 
fear the Sparrow Hawk, and 
they will flit about a tree con- 
taining this watchful Falcon 
with perfect unconcern; yet I 
have seen one seize a Meadow- 
lark in midsummer, and there 
really seems to be no reason 
in nature why he should not 
“RESORT TO THE ROMANTIC CRANNIES OF THE : ; Z 
LAVA CLIFFS.” heip himself. The testimony 
