15 



Female. It is larger than the male ; the head and 

 tail are of the same colour as the back, it is less bright 

 than the male, and the tail feathers are marked with 

 dusky bars, a broad one near the end. 



It breeds in hollow trees, and lays 4 or 5 pale red- 

 dish eggs. 



Its food is birds, mice, and reptiles. 



Our tame specimens, having their wings cut to prevent 

 escape, exhibited great adroitness in climbing the trunk of a 

 tree. 



17. NISUS. SPARROW HAWK. 



F. Griseo-fuscus, subtusalbidusfuscowidulatus, cau- 

 da nigro fasciata apice alba. Shaw. 



The bill is bluish black; the cere yellow; the irides 

 are bright orange-yellow; the plumage is bluish grey, 

 or brown, edged with ferruginous ; the under parts 

 tawny white, waved with brown; the tail is ash-colour- 

 ed, barred with dusky black, the tip whitish ; the 

 legs are long and slender. 



The sparrow hawk seldom makes a nest, but takes 

 possession of a deserted one. 



The female lays 4 or 5 dirty white eggs, blotched 

 with rust colour. 



The middle toe in this species, as well as in some others, 

 is remarkably long, and admirably calculated to seize and 

 hold birds, which, we should suppose^ much too large for 

 their prey. 



