124 
spots, which assume a crescentic shape and lighter colour on the 
abdomen, thighs, and under tail coverts; under wing coverts 
above fawn colour, below cream colour, barred with grey and 
brown on all the feathers, less distinct on the two above and 
below ; beak horn colour; tarsi and feet yellow.” 
Mr. Bree further adds: “In addition to the measurements, 
the male adult Levant Sparrow Hawk differs from that of A. 
Nisus. 1st. In the darker upper plumage. 2nd. In the closer 
barring of the under plumage. 37d. In the under wing coverts 
being lighter rufous, and less barred, and by the deep black un- 
colorous primaries beneath, those of A. Nisws being barred to the 
end. 4th. By the two first under tail feathers bemg uncolorous 
grey, while those of Visws are strongly barred. dth. By the 
primaries being black brown and uncolorous above, while those 
of Nisus are lighter and distinctly barred, and 6th. The cheeks of 
the Levant Sparrow Hawk are slight grey, while those of Visus 
are rufous.” 
en 
No. 24. Accipiter Nisus, Liv. 
Tue Sparrow Hawk. 
A Sparrow Hawk, but whether the present or the next species, 
IT am unable to decide, breeds commonly enough in woody 
valleys in the interior of the Himalayas. I have repeatedly 
seen their nests and once (in May) took one about two marches 
on the Mussourie side of Gungootree, containing four bluish 
white, red blotched eggs exactly like, it seemed to me, the 
Sparrow Hawk’s eggs I had so often taken as a boy at home. 
Unfortunately I was then a mere sportsman, and troubled my- 
self little about anything but game, and therefore neither shot 
the parent nor preserved the eggs. 
Capt. Thompson of Simla, (not Mr. R. Thompson of Gurh- 
wal) assures me, that two pairs of the true Sparrow Hawk, breed 
yearly in Anandale, just below Simla, laying in May and June. 
Of the breeding of this species in England Mr. Yarrell tells 
us that ‘the Sparrow Hawk generally takes possession of some 
old or deserted nest in a tree, most frequently that of the Crow, 
in which the female deposits four or five eggs, each about one 
inch seven lines long, by one inch four lines broad, of a pale 
bluish white, blotched and spotted with dark red brown. ‘The 
young are covered with a delicate and pure white down, and 
are abundantly supplied with food.” 
