TASTE OF CARNIVOROUS BIRDS. 147 



that a gentleman, who was shooting in Hampshire, 

 sprung- a pheasant, shot at it, arid notwithstanding 

 the report of his fowling-piece, it was pursued by a 

 hen harrier, but escaped into a covert. He afterwards 

 sprung and missed several more, the hawk con- 

 tinuing to hover round all the while he was beating 

 the field, as if well aware of the game which lurked 

 in the stubble. It might be, that the bird had been 

 rendered daring and bold by hunger, or perhaps it 

 might not be able to strike the game nor pounce on 

 it when on the ground where a pheasant might make 

 a stout resistance. At all events, it is not likely so 

 large a bird could escape the piercing eye of the 

 hawk, which was apparently on express look out for 

 prey. " Hence," adds the author, " that propensity 

 in game to cowering and squatting till they are 

 almost trodden on, which doubtless was intended 

 by Providence as a mode of security, though it has 

 long been rendered; destructive by the invention of 

 nets and guns *." 



The fearless courage of birds of prey, however, 

 impels them to attack game of considerable size. 

 From the stomach of an American sparrow-hawk 

 (Falco sparverius) Wilson took a considerable part 

 of the carcass of a migratory thrush (Turdus migra- 

 torius), including the unbroken feet and claws, though 

 this thrush is within half an inch as long as the 

 hawk 'f'. But this is nothing to the smaller falcons 

 even attacking eagles. The falcon geutil, as it was 

 formerly termed, the gos-hawk (Aslur palumbarius, 

 BECHSTEIN) of modern writers, was reputed one of 

 the most courageous, in the days of falconry, when it 

 was flown at the largest game. 



" Were there not," says Dr. Russell, " several 

 gentlemen now in England to bear witness to the 

 fact, I should hardly venture to assert that with this 

 * Anira. Biogr. ii. 207. f A nier Ornith. iv, 58 



