SPARROW HAWK. 



" Still we're not quit of that prolific race, 

 For when one falls another fills his place." 



They are very bold birds ; audacious enough even to come 

 close to a house in pursuit of their prey. I have known them 

 pounce through a window to get at a bird in a cage. 



One day when I was feeding my Pigeons a panic seized 

 them, and they all flew off with a loud clatter. There was such 

 a cloud of blue feathers filling the air that I could not at first 

 see what had happened. In the course of the day the body of 

 one of the Pigeons was found by the roadside half a mile off, 

 which the Hawk had plucked, and was just beginning to feast 

 on when he was disturbed. 



The rest of the Pigeons fled. Some flung themselves head- 

 foremost into the dovecot ; others " severed and madly swept the 

 sky," high up in wide circles, too much terrified to take their 

 food that day, nor could they take their meals in peace for many 

 days after. 



I have known a Sparrow Hawk fly off with a Pea chick 

 nearly as big as itself, but, finding it too heavy, had to drop it. 



