90 THE NATURAL HISTORY 



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 it's hawk-like appear- 

 ance, small head, wings not so blunt, and longer tail. This 

 specimen contained in it's 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 numerous, 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 havock 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. 



LETTER XLIV. 



TO THE SAME. 



Selborne, Nov. 30, 1780. 

 DEAR SIR, 



EVERY incident that occasions a renewal of our correspondence 

 will ever be pleasing and agreeable to me. 



