BIRDS OF 



farther north. It is said that during the excitement of the 

 breeding season, this bird has the singular habit of turning 

 summersaults in the air. I have never happened to see one in 

 this state of hilarity, all those observed being quite subdued in 

 their habits, seldom deviating from their daily occupation of 

 sailing over the marshes looking for mice. 



GENUS ACCIPITER BRISSON. 



SUBGENUS ACCIPITER. 



133. ACCIPITER VELOX (WiLs.). 332. 



Sharp-shinned Hawk. 



Feet extremely slender ; bare portion of tarsus longer than middle toe ; 

 scutellae frequently fused, tail square. Above dark-brown (deepest on the 

 head, the occipital feathers showing white when disturbed), with an ashy or 

 plumbeous shade v/hich increases with age, till the general cast is quite 

 bluish-ash ; below white or whitish, variously streaked with dark-brown and 

 rusty, finally changing to browrish-red (palest behind and slightly ashy 

 across the breast), with the white then only showing in narrow cross-bars ; 

 chin, throat and crissum mostly white with blackish penciling ; wings and 

 tail barred with ashy and brown or blackish, the quills white-barred basally, 

 the tail whitish tipped ; bill dark ; claws black ; cere and feet yellow. Male, 

 10-12 ; wing, 6-7 ; tail, 5-6 ; female, 12-14 ; wing, 7-8 ; whole foot, 3^ or less. 



HAB. North America in general, south to Panama. 



Nest in trees. 



Eggs, 4 to 5 ; white, shaded with purple and splashed with brown. 



A rather common summer resident in Southern Ontario, 

 smaller in size than Cooper's Hawk, but similar in markings. 

 It lives chiefly on small birds, and nothing can exceed the 

 impetuosity with which it dashes down and captures them by 

 sheer power of flight. " Many have been the times," says 

 Audubon, " when watching this vigilant, active and industrious 

 bird, have I seen it plunge headlong into a patch of briers, in 

 defiance of all thorny obstacles, and passing through, emerge 

 on the other side bearing off with exultation in its sharp claws 

 a finch or a sparrow which it had surprised at rest." 



136 



