90 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [CHAP. xi. 



CHAPTER XI. 



The Hen-Harrier: Destructiveness to Game; Female of Trapping The 

 Sparrowhawk: Courage of; Ferocity; Nest The Kestrel: Utility of 

 The Merlin : Boldness The Hobby Increase of Small Birds. 



IN the autumn my partridges suffer much from the hen-harrier. 

 As soon as the corn is cut this bird appears, and hunts the whole 

 of the low country in the most determined and systematic manner. 

 The hen-harrier, either on the hill-side or in the turnip-field, is 

 a most destructive hunter. Flying at the height of only a few 

 feet from the ground, he quarters the ground as regularly as an 

 old pointer, crossing the field in every direction ; nor does he 

 waste time in hunting useless ground, but tries turnip-field after 

 turnip-field, and rushy field after rushy field, passing quickly 

 over the more open ground, where he thinks his game is not so 

 likely to be found. The moment he sees a bird, the hawk darts 

 rapidly to a height of about twenty feet, hovers for a moment, 

 and then comes down with unerring aim on his victim, striking 

 dead with a single blow partridge or pheasant, grouse or black- 

 cock, and showing a strength not to be expected from his light 

 figure and slender though sharp talons. 



I saw on a hill-side in Ross-shire a hen-harrier strike a heath 

 hen. I instantly drove him away, but too late, as the head of 

 the bird was cut as clean off by the single stroke as if done with 

 a knife. On another day, when passing over the hill in the 

 spring, I was attended by a hen-harrier for some time, who 

 struck down and killed two hen grouse that I had put up. Both 

 these birds I contrived to take from him ; but a third grouse rose, 

 and was killed and carried off over the brow of a hill before I 

 could get up to him. There is no bird more difficult to shoot 

 than this. Hunting always in the open country, though ap- 

 pearing intent on nothing but his game, the wary bird, with 

 an instinctive knowledge of the range of shot, will keep always 



