66 



here. This circumstance has possibly served to 

 make them swifter of wing, keener of sight, and 

 bolder in attack than elsewhere, I have seen a 

 Buzzard, which is not considered the bravest of the 

 Hawks, turn quick as lightning on a Spur-wing 

 Lapwing, which was pursuing it, and, grappling it, 

 bear it down to the ground and despatch it in a 

 moment, though a hundred other Lapwings were 

 uttering piercing screams above it. Yet this Plover 

 is a large, powerful, fierce-tempered bird, and armed 

 with sharp spurs on its wings. This is but one of 

 numberless instances I have witnessed of the extreme 

 strength and daring of our Hawks. 



When shooting birds to preserve I used to keep 

 an anxious eye on the movements of the Chimangos 

 flying about, for I have had some fine specimens 

 carried off or mutilated by these omnipresent robbers. 

 One winter day I came across a fine Myiotheretes 

 rufiventris, a pretty and graceful Tyrant-bird, rather 

 larger than the Common Thrush, with a chocolate 

 and silver-grey plumage. It was rare in that place, 

 and, anxious to secure it, I fired a very long shot, 

 for it was extremely shy. It rose up high in the air 

 and flew off apparently unconcerned. What then 

 was my surprise to see a Chimango start off in 

 pursuit of it 1 Springing on to my horse I followed, 

 and before going half a mile noticed the Tyrant-bird 

 beginning to show signs of distress. After avoiding 

 several blows aimed by the Chimango, it flew down 

 and plunged into a cardoon bush. There I captured 

 it, and when skinning it to preserve found that one 



