218 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



often obscure or wanting; back, cinnamon-brown, in the mate, with a few black 

 spots or none ; in the female, with numerous black bars ; wing coverts, in the 

 /note, ashy-blue, with or without black spots ; in the female, like the back ; 

 quills, in both sexes, blackish, with numerous pale or white bars on inner webs ; 

 tail, chestnut, in the male, with one broad black subterminal bar, white tip, and 

 outer feather mostly white, with several black bars ; in the female, the whole 

 tail with numerous imperfect black bars ; below, white, variously tinged with 

 butf or tawny, in the male, with a few small black spots or none ; in the female, 

 with many brown streaks; throat and rent, nearly white and immaculate in 

 both sexes; bill, dark horn; cere and feet, yellow to bright orange; 10-11; 

 wing, 7 ; tail, 5, more or less. 



HAB. Whole of North America, south to northern South America. 



Eggs, four or five, deposited in the hollow of a decayed limb, or deserted 

 woodpecker's hole. In color, variable, usually yellowish-brown, blotched all 

 over with brown of a darker shade. 



The peculiar and handsome markings of .this little falcon serve, 

 even at a distance, to prevent its being mistaken for any other 

 species. Though sometimes seen near the farm-house, it does not bear 

 the stigma of having felonious intentions towards the occupants of the 

 poultry yards, but is credited with the destruction of large numbers 

 of mice, and is, therefore, regarded with favor by the farmer. It 

 also feeds freely on snakes, lizards, grasshoppers, etc., but has the 

 true falcon etiquette of taking only what is newly killed. It is 

 generally distributed throughout Ontario, arriving on the southern 

 frontier about the end of April, and leaving for the south in Sep- 

 tember. 



In the " Birds of Minnesota," page 203, is given an account of an 

 experiment made by M. de Laiitrie, to test the value of this species 

 to the farmer. He says : "I took five little Sparrow Hawks and 

 put them in a cage. The parents immediately brought them food, 

 and I was not surprised to see that it consisted of twelve mice, four 

 large lizards, and six mole crickets. A meal of like size was brought 

 every day for a month. At one time there were fifteen field mice, 

 two little birds, and a young rabbit. Last year I made the same 

 experiment, with similar results ; one meal consisting of twelve small 

 birds, one lark, three moles and one hedgehog. In one month, the 

 five baby-hawks rid 'the world, by actual count, of 420 rats and mice, 

 200 mole crickets, and 158 lizards." In view of the foregoing record, 

 this species is well entitled to the place which Dr. Fisher has given 

 it in Class 6, as one of those whose good deeds are in excess of the 

 evil, and it is, therefore, entitled to the protection of all interested. 



