THE BIRDS OF RAINHAM. 13 



tiful little fellow with sharp-pointed wings flew nearly 

 over my head, circling and wheeling some thirty-five 

 yards high ; the sun shining brightly at the same time, 

 I had a good view of its back, which was red, the bird 

 stayed here for nearly a month and after being shot 

 at, becoming wilder and wilder each day. 



S PARROW- H AWK. 

 Accipiter nisus (Linn.). 



This, our most common hawk, makes its appearance 

 in the autumn, staying with us, if not shot, throughout 

 the winter ; where the small birds congregate on the 

 stubbles, there is often a female Sparrow-hawk in at- 

 tendance, the little red males lying wait in the 

 thickets for the chaffinches or any passing prey. 



I once saw a female Sparrow-hawk flying away 

 from a clump of larch fir-trees, carrying material to 

 build her nest, with quite a little faggot in her claws. 



An immature Sparrow-hawk was picked up dead 

 by a neighbour beside her parlour-window, having 

 flown at a canary in a cage. 



BUZZARD. 

 Buteo vulgariS) Leach. 



The year 1870, the time of the French and Ger- 

 man war, was famous for being our Buzzard year ; 

 according to Mr. Charles Gordon of the Dover 



