THE SPARROW HAWK. 39 



One of his favourite haunts was under a large Portu- 

 gal laurel, which was so thick, close to the ground, that 

 nothing could grow beneath, but it was the resort of an 

 immense number of birds, and here many of them built 

 their nests. Hawks generally perch as high as possible, 

 and Harry was fond of the topmost branch of a large 

 willow, where he swung with the breeze ; curiosity was , 

 therefore, excited to ascertain what attracted him to the 

 bare earth under the laurel, and it was supposed that he 

 now and then caught a young nestling which fell from 

 the nest. Still the observers were not satisfied, as they 

 found that he took his station there during the whole 

 summer, long after the young birds had flown away, 

 and at last they discovered, under a plant near the lau- 

 rel, the wing and tail-feathers of a full-grown bird, evi- 

 dently the remains of his repast. The reason of his 

 preferring the spot was now obvious. 



Harry never attempted to touch a young chicken 

 or duck, but used to strut about the yard where the 

 poultry were kept, without being feared or regarded. 

 During a severe winter, he walked into their house with 

 the pigeons at night, slept in their dwelling, and came 

 out with them when the door of the trap was let down 

 in the morning ; and yet, though there was a numerous 

 flock of old and young birds, no one was ever missed. 



