NATURE NEAR LONDON 



between the elms, and out into the centre of the 

 meadow, with a large object in his talons. He 

 alighted in the middle, so as to be as far as possible 

 from either hedge, and no doubt prepared to enjoy 

 his quarry, when something startled him, and he 

 rose again. Then, as I got a better view, I saw it 

 was a rat he was carrying. The long body of the 

 animal was distinctly visible, and the tail depend- 

 ing, the hawk had it by the shoulders or head. 

 Flying without the least apparent effort, the bird 

 cleared the elms, and I lost sight of him beyond 

 them. Now, the kestrel is but a small bird, and 

 taking into consideration the size of the bird and 

 the weight of a rat, it seems as great a feat in 

 proportion as for an eagle to snatch up a lamb. 



Some distance up the road, and in the corner of 

 an arable field, there was a wheat-rick which was 

 threshed and most of the straw carted away. But 

 there still remained the litter, and among it prob- 

 ably a quantity of stray corn. There was always 

 a flock of sparrows on this litter a flock that 

 might often be counted by the hundred. As I came 

 near the spot one day a sparrow-hawk, whose 

 approach I had not observed and which had there- 

 fore been flying low, suddenly came over the hedge 

 just by the loose straw. 



With shrill cries the sparrows instantly rushed 

 for the hedge, not two yards distant ; but the hawk, 

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