SPARROW-HAWK, MERLIN, KESTREL, A:N'D OWL. 7T 



credible number of young game.' Even Pro- 

 fessor Newton gives it up. But several gentle- 

 men seem to value a bird exactly in proportion 

 to tlie misery and destruction wliick it causes 

 to other birds, and wisli to preserve this one. 

 The Eev. H. B. Tristram says that it will live 

 ' entirely on the wood-pigeon.' We should be 

 sorry to trust it. We think it would rarely 

 carry so heavy a bird to its nest, and it is when 

 feeding its young that it is most destructive. 



We saw one dash down and seize a young 

 turkey close to the house, but the turkey hen 

 with great presence of mind immediately 

 knocked it over, and it was glad to beat a re- 

 treat, followed in the air for at least fifty yards 

 by the old turkey. The young ones all concealed 

 themselves, and it was an hour before they ven- 

 tured to reappear, the old bird walking round 

 and round and keeping guard in a great state 

 of excitement. 



Very shortly afterwards, we were watching 

 from an upstairs window a gold cock-pheasant 



