SPARROW-HAWKS. 2G5 



easily distinguished from the common buzzard by its hawk- 

 like appearance, small head, wings not so blunt, and longer 

 tail. This specimen contained in its craw some limbs of 

 frogs, and many grey snails without shells.* The irides 

 of the eyes of this bird were of a beautiful bright yellow 

 colour. 



About the 10th of July, in the same summer, a pair of 

 sparrow-hawks bred in an old crow's nest on a low beech in 

 the same hanger ; and as their brood, which was numerous, 

 began to grow up, became so daring and ravenous, that they 

 were a terror to all the dames in the village that had chick- 

 ens or ducklings under their care. A boy climbed the tree, 

 and found the young so fledged that they all escaped from 

 him, but discovered that a good house had been kept. The 

 larder was well stored with provisions ; for he brought down 

 a young blackbird, jay, and house-martin, all clean picked, 

 and some half devoured. The old birds had been observed 

 to make sad havoc for some days among the new-flown swal- 

 lows and martins, which, being but lately out of their nests, 

 had not acquired those powers and command of wing that 

 enable them, when more mature, to set such enemies at 

 defiance. 



LETTEB XCIY. 



TO THE SAME. 



SELBORNE, Nov. 30, 1780. 



DEAR SIR, Every incident that occasions a renewal of our 

 correspondence will ever be pleasing and agreeable to me. 

 As to the wild wood-pigeon, t the oenas or vinago, of Eay, I 



* They constantly feed their young with the larvse of wasps and bees, and 

 probably themselves when they are able to procure them. This has probably 

 led to the idea of their eating honey. Besides frogs and snails, they will 

 occasionally prey on birds, rabbits, &c. ED. 



j* Both White and some other naturalists have written confused accounts 

 of these pigeons. The cushat or ring-dove (columba, palumbus) inhabits 

 woods and makes its nest on the branches of trees. 



The stock-pigeon (C. oenas) has a grey slaty colour, and breeds freely in 

 holes in the old pollards in Richmond Park. 



The rock-pigeon (C. livid) of a slaty grey, with two black bars on the wings, 



