The Avifauna. 105 



tive to birds of the singing class and young game than 

 any other of the hawk tribe. The number of bird 

 remains found near sparrow-hawks' nests when they 

 are rearing their young is almost incredible. In 

 March 1887 a female sparrow-hawk dashed with great 

 violence against the plate-glass window of Almora 

 Villa, Liberton, then occupied by Mr Patrick Guthrie, 

 and was picked up dead by that gentleman. It was 

 not unnaturally assumed that the hawk had been in 

 pursuit of its prey, though it was significant that there 

 was no indication of any other bird having struck 

 the window. Some days after, while Mr Guthrie 

 was conversing with his gardener, he was startled by 

 a sharp thud, as if something of a soft or flexible 

 nature had been thrown against the window over- 

 head. On looking up he was surprised to see a 

 bird of considerable size falling to the ground. On 

 picking it up he was interested to find that it was 

 another sparrow-hawk, but on this occasion a male 

 bird. Again it was conjectured that this hawk had 

 met its untimely fate in pursuit of its prey. Our 



attention having been called to the fact, we felt con- 



G 2 



