134 HA WKS. 



Sparrow-hawks may be caught by similar means ; there is, 

 indeed, a great resemblance between these birds in many of 

 their habits, though the latter may be considered as the more 

 shy and untractable of the two. When in pursuit of prey, 

 however, they will not unfrequently evince great boldness. 

 We know of one which darted into an upper room, where a 

 Goldfinch was suspended in a cage, and it must have remained 

 there some time, and continued its operations with great 

 perseverance, as on the entrance of the lady to whom the poor 

 bird belonged, it was found dead and bleeding at the bottom, and 

 its feathers plentifully scattered about. The Kestrel is, on the 

 other hand, rather more tractable, and will manifest, if not 

 attachment, at least no shyness on the approach of those who 

 feed it, particularly if carefully attended to. 



We have noticed several instances of Eagles carrying of! 

 such considerable weights as children, lambs, &c, and we have 

 noticed the death of some of these larger birds by their im- 

 prudent attacks upon stoats, and similar small animals; but 

 the power of wing is more decidedly shown by the fact of so 

 small a bird as the Kestrel, weighing only six ounces and a 

 half, and having an expansion of wing of only twenty-seven 

 inches, having been known to dart upon a weasel, an animal 

 its equal nearly in size and weight, and actually mount aloft 

 with it. As in the case of the Eagle, it suffered for its temerity, 

 for it had not proceeded far when both were observed to fall 

 from a considerable height. The weasel ran off unhurt, but 

 the Kestrel was found to have been killed by a bite in the 

 throat. 



The following is a strong corroboration of the truth of the 

 story just mentioned, as far as the powers of a Hawk to raise 

 comparatively heavy weights, but is more curious, as exhibiting 

 the courage displayed in one of the most timid animals in 

 defence of its young. It occurred in Yorkshire. In the 

 spring, a gentleman walking in the fields saw a small Hawk 

 attempting to fly off with some prey it had just pounced upon, 

 but evidently prevented by the weight of its capture from 

 rising to any height above the ground. It was pursued by a 



