TAMED HAWKS. 155 



were hatched, though when removed to another more 

 spacious enclosed situation, with the brood, notwithstand- 

 ing she showed no inclination to kill them, she avoided 

 them altogether, and incessantly struggled round the 

 inclosure in hopes of escaping. 



Another instance has been noticed near Lichfield. A 

 female of the same species, domesticated and kept in a 

 garden, was set with some eggs of the common poultry, 

 which she hatched at the usual time. When the chickens 

 were freed from the shell, this strange stepmother 

 defended them in the most furious manner, scarcely allow- 

 ing any person to approach the wooden box in which they 

 were hatched and kept, and to which they retired when- 

 ever they chose ; and no dog or cat could venture near, 

 without being stoutly assailed by the Buzzard. Its fury 

 far surpassed that of a common Hen, as long as the 

 chickens were young and helpless, but gradually slackened 

 as they grew older ; the habits of affection, however, 

 never entirely ceased, for the chickens, after they became 

 full-grown fowls, remained with it, and all lived together 

 in the same garden in perfect harmony. A single instance 

 of so extraordinary a deviation from the general habits 

 of birds, might have been received with hesitation, but 

 when corroborated by similar occurrences, on record in 

 other places, its truth scarcely admits of a doubt. We 

 have heard, indeed, a still more extraordinary circumstance, 

 namely, that of an Eagle, at an inn at Uxbridge, which also 

 hatched and brought up several broods of poultry. 



The attention of the Turks arid Egyptians to certain 

 Hawks, most probably arises from the respect paid to 

 them in ancient times, when the Hawk was held sacred, 

 and when even accidentally to kill one was punished by 

 a heavy fine ; and designedly to deprive it of life was a 

 capital offence, and the culprit suffered death. Various 

 reasons are mentioned by old writers for this veneration. 

 Thus the Eagle was worshipped, as a royal bird, and the 

 favourite of their god Jupiter. The Hawks were wor- 

 shipped for different reasons ; some because they were 



