148 HAWKS. 



at the bottom, and its feathers plentifully scattered 

 about. The Kestrel is, on the other hand, rather more 

 tractable, and will manifest, if not attachment, at least 

 no shyness on the approach of those who feed it, par- 

 ticularly if carefully attended to. 



We have noticed several instances of Eagles carrying 

 off such considerable weights as children, lambs, &c., 

 and we have noticed the death of some of these larger 

 birds by their imprudent attacks upon stoats, and similar 

 small animals; but the power of wing is more decidedly 

 shown by the fact of so small a bird as the Kestrel 

 weighing only six ounces and a half, and having an ex- 

 pansion of wing of only twenty-seven inches, having 

 been known to dart upon a weasel, an animal its equal 

 nearly in size and weight, and actually mount aloft 

 with it. As in the case of the Eagle it suffered for its 

 temerity, for it had not proceeded far, when both were 

 observed to fall from a considerable height. The weasel 

 ran off unhurt, but the Kestrel was found to have been 

 killed by a bite in the throat. 



The following is a strong corroboration of the truth 

 of the story just mentioned, as far as the powers of a 

 Hawk to raise comparatively heavy weights, but is more 

 curious, as exhibiting the courage displayed in one of 

 the most timid animals, in defence of its young. It 

 occurred in Yorkshire. In the spring, a gentleman 

 walking in the fields saw a small Hawk attempting to fly 

 off with some prey it had just pounced upon, but 

 evidently prevented by the weight of its capture from 

 rising to any height above the ground. It was pursued 

 by a hare, which whenever it came within her reach, 

 attacked it with her paws, and at last succeeded in 

 knocking it down, when it dropped its prey. At this 

 moment the gentleman ran forward, and the Hawk and 

 its pursuer both made their retreat; upon his reaching 

 the spot where the prey had been dropped, he found it 

 to be a fine leveret, which at once explained the cause 

 of the parent hare's gallant attack on the Hawk. It 



