1 6 Bird-keeping. 



with others of its kind in a cage, or fastened on the 

 same perch, they will be sure to fight, and probably 

 the conqueror will eat the victim. This was the case 

 witn a pair of Sparrow Hawks which were put into a 

 cage together : the female killed and devoured her 

 intended mate. It is a very difficult bird to train 

 and tame, and even when this seems to be accom- 

 plished, it is subject to fits of fright or passion, which 

 for the time completely paralyse it. Yet Bishop 

 Stanley tells of one brought up by a person who was 

 fond of rearing a particular breed of pigeons, who 

 succeeded in bringing about a friendship between the 

 Sparrow Hawk and the pigeons. He flew about with 

 them, and roosted at night in their dove-cote, and 

 showed none of his natural ferocity, even at feeding- 

 time, never being known to touch any of the young 

 pigeons. He was quite unhappy when separated 

 from them, and uttered cries of joy whenever he saw 

 any person with whom he was familiar, being " as 

 playful as a kitten, and as loving as a dove." 



The Sparrow Hawk is often mobbed by a number 

 of small birds : it appears to be bewildered and 

 frightened by its assailants, but will frequently turn 

 suddenly and seize one of them, and make off with 

 its victim. 



The KESTREL (Tinnunculus Alaudarius] will often 

 do the same when mobbed by swallows, who are very 

 fond of surrounding it ; but on one occasion when a 



