112 SPAEEOW-HAWK. 



as evinced in pursuit of its prey, the latter sometimes manage 

 to rush into covert, or crouch very close to the ground, in 

 time to save their lives. In one instance, considerable stratagy 

 has been witnessed on both sides a thrush, pursued by one 

 of these birds over the sea, made the most strenuous efforts 

 to gain a wood on the land, but her retreat was each time 

 cut off by the Hawk, until the former took refuge on the 

 mast of a steamer: the pirate dashed boldly after his prize, 

 and was with difficulty scared from seizing it there and then. 

 Baffled for the moment, he flew off himself to the wood, but 

 on the poor thrush after some time, but alas! too soon, leaving 

 her asylum and making for the shore, he was observed to sally 

 from his ambush, and secure his reprieved victim. A lark thus 

 harried has been known to make several attempts to fly into 

 the breast of a gentleman a swallow to find an actual 

 sanctuary in that of a lady. 



The author of the 'Journal of a Naturalist,' confirms the 

 idea that their prey are sometimes fascinated by Hawks, by 

 the following fact: 'A beautiful male bullfinch, that sat harm- 

 lessly pecking the buds from a blackthorn by my side, when 

 overlooking the work of a labourer, suddenly uttered the 

 instinctive moan of danger, but made no attempt to escape 

 into the bush, seemingly deprived of the power of exertion; 

 on looking round, a Sparrow-Hawk was observed, on motionless 

 wing, gliding rapidly along the hedge, and passing me, rushed 

 on its prey with undeviating certainty.' 



'In pursuit of prey,' says Bishop Stanley, 'they will not 

 unfrequently evince great boldness. We knew of one which 

 darted into an upper room, where a goldfinch was suspended 

 in a cage, and it must have remained there some time, and 

 continued its operations with great perseverance, as on the 

 entrance of the lady to whom the poor bird belonged, it was 

 found dead and bleeding at the bottom, and its feathers 

 plentifully scattered about.' See, however, the effect the good 

 effect, of education. 'Even the Sparrow-Hawk,' says the same 

 kind-hearted writer, 'which by some has been considered of so 

 savage and wild a nature, as to render all means for taming 

 it hopeless, has nevertheless, in the hands of more able or 

 more patient guardians, proved not only docile, but amiable 

 in its disposition. About four years ago, a young Sparrow- 

 Hawk was procured and brought up by a person who was 

 fond of rearing a particular breed of pigeons, which he greatly 

 prized on account of their rarity. By good management and 



