OF SELBORNE 95 



and lined with dead beechen leaves, upon a tall slender 

 beech near the middle of Selborne-hanger, in the summer 

 of 1780. In the middle of the month of June a bold boy 

 climbed this tree, though standing on so steep and dizzy a 

 situation, and brought down an egg, the only one in the 

 nest, which had been sat on for some time, and contained 

 the embrio of a young bird. The egg was smaller, and 

 not so round as those of the common buzzard ; was dotted 

 at each end with small red spots, and surrounded in the 

 middle with a broad bloody zone. 



The hen-bird was shot, and answered exactly to Mr. 

 Ray's description of that species ; had a black cere, short 

 thick legs, and a long tail. When on the wing this species 

 may be easily distinguished from the common buzzard by 

 its hawk-like appearance, small head, wings not so blunt, 

 and longer tail. This specimen contained in its craw some 

 limbs of frogs, and many grey snails without shells. The 

 irides of the eyes of this bird were of a beautiful bright 

 yellow colour. 



About the tenth of July in the same summer a pair of 

 sparrow-hawks bred in an old crow's nest on a low beech 

 in the same hanger ; and as their brood, which was nume- 

 rous, began to grow up, became so daring and ravenous, 

 that they were a terror to all the dames in the village that 

 had chickens or ducklings under their care. A boy climbed 

 the tree, and found the young so fledged that they all 

 escaped from him ; but discovered that a good house had 

 been kept : the larder was well-stored with provisions ; for 

 he brought down a young blackbird, jay, and house-martin, 

 all clean picked, and some half devoured. The old birds 

 had been observed to make sad havoc for some days 

 among the new-flown swallows and martins, which, being 

 but lately out of their nests, had not acquired those powers 

 and command of wing that enable them, when more 

 mature, to set such enemies at defiance. 



