88 THE CHANTING FALCON. 



demolish the partridge. Between this servant and the Hawk there was a deadly fend, 

 owing to a depredation committed by the bird and resented by the servant. A chicken 

 had just been plucked and was lying on the kitchen table, when the Hawk glided softly 

 through the door, and perching on the chicken, had devoured its breast before the theft was 

 discovered. The servant struck it with a broom, when the bird flew at her head, and 

 pushing its claws into her hair, it buffeted her face with its wings, and could not be 

 removed until it had torn out no small quantity of hair. After a while the bird dis- 

 appeared, perhaps stolen, but very probably killed by its foe. 



The propensity of the Sparrow Hawk to attack larger birds of prey has already been 

 mentioned, and the creature only suffers poetical justice in being made the subject 

 of similar attacks. The swallows and other swift-winged birds are wonderfully fond 

 of mobbing the Sparrow Hawk, although in many instances they pay dearly for their 

 audacity. I once saw a Sparrow Hawk that was being mobbed by a number of sand 

 martins, and was flying about in a seemingly purposeless and bewildered manner, 

 suddenly turn on its pursuers, seize one of them in its terrible grasp, and instantly sail 

 away bearing its screaming victim in its talons. The Hawk was almost within reach 

 when this circumstance occurred. 



The general colour of the adult male is dark brown upon the upper surface of the head, 

 body, and wings, softening into grey as the bird increases in years. The entire under 

 surface is rusty brown, marked with narrow bands of a darker hue ; the long and slender 

 legs and toes are yellow, as is the cere, but with a tinge of green ; the long, sharp, armed 

 claws are black, and the beak is a slate-blue, darkening towards the point. The length of 

 the male bird is about one foot. The female, which is about fifteen inches in length, 

 is coloured differently from her mate, the upper parts of the body and wings being hardly 

 so rich a tint as in the male bird, and covered with numerous little white spots, caused by 

 the white hue which is found on the base of each feather. The primaries and rectrices 

 are of a lighter brown, and coloured with transverse dark bars, and the under surface of the 

 body is grey-white, also barred transversely. These hues are also found in the young male, 

 who has in addition a reddish edging to the feathers of the back. 



The nest of the Sparrow Hawk is placed in some elevated spot, and contains three or 

 four eggs, rather variable in their marking, but always possessing a certain unmistakeable 

 character. The ground tint of the egg is a greyish white, slightly tinged with blue, 

 and a number of bold blotches of a very dark brown are placed upon the surface, 

 sometimes scattered rather irregularly, but generally forming a broad ring round the larger 

 end. The bird seldom troubles itself to build a new nest, but takes possession of the 

 deserted tenement of a crow or rook. 



As a general rule, the voices of all the rapacious birds are notable for the rough, 

 strident dissonance of the larger species, or for the piercing shrieks of the smaller birds. 

 There is, however, an exception to this rule, which is supposed at present to be quite 

 unique, in the person of the CHANTING FALCON of Africa. 



In a certain sense, even the scream of the eagle and the shriek of the Falcon possess 

 a sort of wild music, which is sufficiently appropriate to the localities in which they 

 dwell, but is singularly out of place when the bird is seated on a perch or immured 

 within the confines of wiry walls. The Chanting Falcon, however, possesses a really 

 musical voice, its very peculiar notes having been compared to the thrilling sounds of 

 musical glasses. Le Vaillant tells us that it sings in the morning and evening, and that its 

 song lasts for about one minute, being very frequently repeated in the course of an hour, 

 and with veiy short intervals. It is at all other times of the day a very shy and suspicious 

 bird, but while singing is so occupied with its task, that it can be approached, and, 

 if desired, shot without much difficulty. 



It is rather a large and powerful bird, being nearly two feet in length, and somewhat 

 resembling the jerfalcon in proportion. Its prey consists of hares, rabbits, and similar 

 Quadrupeds, and it also wages successful war against the larger birds, such as the bustard 

 or " pauw." The general colour of this curious bird is greyish on the upper parts of the 

 body, and white on the lower parts, barred with brown streaks. 



